My Tragedy's Happy Ending
by Devil'sBlade
Summary: When people meet a certain connection is formed. He always makes people around him fall on their knees upon seeing his basking glory while she thinks everything in this world is a game and people are destined to kneel upon the world's victory. One day, she was destined to be his, and he to be hers. What color would the thread connecting them be? AtobeXOC
1. Tragic Society, Happy Meeting

**Hope you guys will like this. Somehow, when I was thinking about my Ballad of the Lost Soul, I can't help but think of my OC with the personality that I originally intended her to have. This is not a sequel of BLS, this is simply a new fic.**

**I don't own PoT.**

**Hope you guys will like it and please review!**

It has been months since the pink flower blossomed in the land of the rising sun. The flower that made the country known to tourist clamouring for nice, sweet, and breathtaking scenery, has yet to start another season of its life and people would again wait for another spring just to see its beauty once more. But of course, for the students passing by the same route where the trees blossom might only see this as something normal. The sun was high up in the sky that sunny afternoon in Tokyo. It was this time around when students are dismissed by their teachers. Those who joined a club shall attend their club activities while those who didn't might as well go home or go anywhere they like. Ah! The dramatic journey of youth!

And it was this time around that the school should have minimal noise, since they are not in the same building at the same time and they would not chatter with their classmates loudly, plus the teacher's reprimanding voice. That should be something that everyone should expect but sadly, that will only remain as something ideal.

The tennis courts were crowded with a great number of girls from different year levels and add at least two hundred members of the tennis club of Hyotei Gakuen cheering for their regulars, then that would make it the noisiest part of the school. A snap resounded in the place, silencing everyone, regardless of what their role is in that place or what year level they are in. Their attention was caught by a purple haired teen, with a mole beneath his right eye, having a fair complexion, owning a pair of black velvet orbs, standing in the middle of the court.

"Be awed by my prowess!" His elegant smirk made the girls squeal loudly while the men wearing a jersey of the tennis club cheered loudly. And yet, another round of noise was heard.

"Atobe-sama!" Some of the girls shouted as they compete for the view of the said man.

"Not this again." A long brown haired teen said from the other side of Atobe's court as he put his racket on his shoulder. A sigh escaped his once again. "It's been a year since they kept on crowding just to watch us play." He added with a much more irritated tone.

"We can't help it, since it's Atobe. You should get used to this, Shishido." A tall second year with a kansai accent replied. He has a shoulder length blue hair and wears a pair of round glasses, making him look like a genius, and true enough, he is a genius. "We still have our second year and our third year, so bear with them." He added as he straightened his glasses.

"That's right, Ryou!" A red head said from behind. "It's not like we have a choice."

"But will this be fine, senpai?" A snow blonde haired first year said from behind. He had a very soft voice and a polite demeanour.

"Ahn? What's this? If you are really determined to win, disturbances such as these should not get into you." The purple head, who was the center of attraction moments ago, said. "And it looks like Sakaki-sensei got rid of them." He stated to the group. "Na, Kabaji?"

"Usu!" Responded the first year behind him.

O~O~O

The three demons of Rikkai Dai Fuzoku were idle since they were supervising the training of some regulars and the new members.

"You over there! Your speed is decreasing!" A strict yet gentle feminine-like voice reprimanded a first year doing laps.

"Yukimura-buchou is as strict as ever." A messy black haired first year said as he stopped by the fence, marking the end of his laps.

"But, I think Seiichi should also be strict to you as he is to them." The seaweed head blinked a couple of times and gasped at what he heard. The girl across the fence just called Yukimura by his first name!

"You addressed buchou with his first name!" He exclaimed as he pointed an index finger at the girl who blinked in confusion at him. "Could it be that you're his girlfriend?!" He asked in which the girl chuckled. "That's right, when I challenged them I saw you with buchou, and you two would walk together when you go home, I'm not sure about going to school either, but that's the traditional way of…" He then stared at the girl dumbfounded. It was as if words were deprived from him. How could his buchou choose an ordinarily looking girl?

The girl's black hair freely cascaded. A part of her bangs was being held by a red clip. She possessed a fair complexion, heck she looked like Japanese and someone possessing foreign blood at the same time. She wore the Rikkai Dai uniform neatly. He saw her smile and she may not pass his buchou's standards. Come to think of it, what are his buchou's standards? Oh, maybe it's the eyes… those eyes with the color of blood, passion and determination that made his buchou fell for her.

"Is something wrong?" She has a low pitched voice for a female. Irritation was evident in her features now as she stared at the first year. She raised a brow at the sight of the black haired male examining her.

"No, nothing, it's just that, you are buchou's girlfriend, right?" A laugh erupted from the girl's throat.

_Girlfriend, huh? I guess it's not really evident._ The girl thought as she stared at the teen amusedly. "If you put it that way, I guess." She answered much to the younger male's astonishment.

"Heh?! Is it true?" He asked. "You did not even deny it? Come to think of it, who would?"

"Oi! Kirihara! Get back here, your training isn't over yet!" A man wearing a blue cap shouted across the court. Just hearing the voice of his vice captain sent chills down his spine.

"This is bad, Sanada fuku-buchou is angry!" Kirihara exclaimed and went towards the capped male. He completely forgot all about the girl for the time being.

_What an interesting kid!_ The girl thought as she watched Kirihara being scolded by Sanada. From behind her, a hand patted her shoulder two times. She shoved the hand away from her shoulder before turning to the person who patted her. "Bunta-kun, would you stop trying to poke me in my face? It's really irritating."

The red head had a rather disappointing look on his face as he formed a balloon with his gum. "Ave-chan is no fun at all."He said as he put his hands behind his head. He popped another balloon made from his gum. "I hope you weren't bullying Kirihara Akaya a while ago."

"Bunta!" The bald dark skinned teen reprimanded the red head. Both of them wore Rikkai Dai tennis jerseys and for the girl, they looked like bees.

"What's with that Jackal? It's true, she is a devil." A shiver ran down his spine as he sensed an intimidating aura.

"I'm still here, you know. I can hear you! And wait, are you sure you are allowed to slack off?" Avery balled her fists but she didn't plan on doing anything the devil comment, since she was used to it.

"We just finished our training." Jackal informed her.

"Ne, Ave, after practice would you like to come with me to the station? I've heard this limited edition cheesecake is out and today's the final day." Bunta said with full of excitement. Avery raised a brow at the boy's enthusiasm. "I'll treat you!" He added and a smile formed upon the red eyed girl's lips.

"I'm fine with it! Tomorrow's a weekend anyway." Avery put her hands behind her back, clasping them together as she watched Bunta jump with excitement.

Club activities ended. Kirihara finished his routines and the members went back to the locker rooms to change to their school uniforms. Then at that instant, when Kirihara was about to go home, he saw his buchou and the girl from a while ago chatting as they stood by the gates waiting for the other regulars.

"It's true then!" Kirihara exclaimed as he pointed at the jet black haired girl who chuckled at the guy's ignorance. The blue haired teen beside Avery blinked as his mouth slightly gaped open. "You are Yukimura buchou's girlfriend!"

A laugh erupted from the girl. Yukimura gave a worried smile at Kirihara who blinked in confusion. "Oi, what's so funny?!"

"Seiichi, I think I'm starting to like this brat." Avery said after she got over her laughter. "He still hasn't figured it out yet. Such an easy prey." She grinned as she looked at Yukimura who gave her a worried smile.

"So you were playing with him a while ago, huh?" Yukimura then turned to Kirihara. "I'm sorry for whatever trouble Ave caused you."

"I didn't do anything to him, Seiichi, how mean!" The girl puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "If I were in Italy, I'd be meaner." She mumbled hoping Yukimura didn't hear it.

Oh how the poor first year looked very confused as of the moment. He looked at Yukimura and then to Avery with his mouth gaped open.

"Kirihara-kun," Yukimura decided to put his kohai out of his misery. "This is Asusagawa Avery. She's my cousin."

"It'd be better if he discovered things himself, Seiichi." The girl commented much to Kirihara's anger. "What an idiot!" She added before Yukimura could even say anything in her defence.

"What did you say you sissy little girl?!" Kirihara pointed a finger at Avery as he shouted.

"Don't call me little if you're not taller than me. And besides, I'm not the one who fled away from the tennis courts crying on the first day of classes." Avery stuck her tongue out.

"You little-"

"Ho? Want to start a fight?"

Sanada arrived just in time to stop the starting chaotic argument between senpai and kohai. Considering Kirihara's rash and somewhat impolite attitude and Avery's way of taking back what was done to her, a more devastating effect would occur than that in World War II might take place.

O~O~O

Atobe sat by the window of his black town car. A sigh of relief escaped his lips when he was finally able to finish that omiai (lit. means marriage interview) his parents asked him to go to. Not that he hated the girl, but she just doesn't fit his standards. Ah, the cons of being the heir of the Atobe Plutocracy! He looked at his watch and noted that there was still less than an hour before he could finally go home and relax. Just an hour to go and-

The car stopped in front of the station. "Young master, I'm sorry but there seemed to be a problem."The driver said much to Atobe's frustration. He looked in front and saw fogs, perhaps, clouding the view from outside. "If you please go outside for a while. I'll contact Michael to send car for you." He politely said.

Atobe nodded and kept his calm composure. He went out of the car that had overheated. The driver started fixing the engine while Atobe waited inside the station, sitting on a bench. His attention was caught by the seemingly long line across him. He looked for the reason of that line, knowing too well that it was not for the train, and found out that it was a line for a sweet shop. He shrugged the thought off and stared at a distant space.

From a bench nearby, Atobe saw a jet black haired girl sat, wearing a Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku uniform. She sighed as she stared at the long line of the sweet shops. She leaned her cheek on the palm of her hand and heaved another sigh. Her bag leaned against her side and she paid no attention to the weight.

Atobe diverted his gaze to another direction. The railings of the stairs might be lucky to be grazed by his attention.

A group of teenage boys, loose shirt, low waist pants and dyed hair passed by the area near the benches. At this time around, Avery stared at the ground as she swayed her feet back and forth. She stopped swaying her feet and leaned forward as a frown adorned her lips. _What's taking Bunta-kun? I want to go home!_

One of the teenage boys threw a paper wrapper in a random direction, landing in front of Avery who groaned at the sight. Her lips twitched in irritation. Some of the men purposely pushed her bag off the bench much to her annoyance. She picked her bag and stood up, facing the opposite direction only to stop when she noticed that she was surrounded by a those teenage boys who looked older than they should have been. A sigh escaped her lips.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there, I thought you were the biodegradable trash can." Atobe's attention was caught by the little commotion a group of thugs were causing. "Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku, huh?" He continued as he eyed Avery. The girl remained silent as her red orbs pierced through each of them. "What's with that look? We just want to be friends with you, Miss Private School."

"Ne, Private School-san, how about treating us today and we'll let you go." Another sigh escaped Avery. Atobe stood up when one of them grabbed her wrist, not even letting it go. He just doesn't stand those groups of men harassing people.

"Look around you, I suggest that you follow us. Everyone is afraid to help you-" The guy holding Avery's wrist was cut off when his vision swayed and the next thing he knew, he landed on his comrade, both stumbling and landing on the trash can.

"Why you little!" The other threw a punch towards Avery. She knelt down and the man who was supposed to punch her punched his subordinate who was knocked unconscious on the ground.

"Ara? I thought there were two people left." Avery said when she rose up, holding the wrapper that was thrown in front of her. The remaining man hurled himself towards Avery who side stepped. The man stumbled forward. Avery pushed him towards the trash can and threw the wrapper to them afterwards. She turned to the men whom she just encountered and gave them a glare. "Strong persons mustn't bully the weak." Avery muttered. She looked up only to see a bewildered purple haired teen staring at her. His notable feature was his tear mole. Her mouth slightly gaped open at the sight of him staring at her.

Atobe's black velvet orbs met with those bloody red orbs. For a moment, it was as if time froze and they were the only people present. Some unspoken connection was in between them and it was as if they were conversing without actually saying a word.

"Oi, Ave-chan!" A familiar voice called from behind. She turned to face the owner of the voice with a smile on her face. She rushed towards him and dragging him out of the station. "What the-?! Don't just drag me, what's wrong?"

Atobe observed the girl from where he was. Looks could be deceiving, so they say. Marui Bunta of Rikkai Dai was with her.

"Nothing, what took you so long, I want to go home already." Atobe heard the girl whined. Marui complained about how long the line is.

The driver then arrived. "My apologies, young master. Michael arrived to fetch you." Atobe looked one last time at the girl's descending back and turned to the driver.

"I understand." Atobe simply replied.

In the midst of their conversation, Avery stole a glance back at Atobe.

That was their first encounter. Who would've thought that something good actually happened that day to him?

O~O~O

A week has passed since the event in the train station. When Yukimura heard of what had happened and confided Marui, the red head blinked in confusion.

During lunch break, Avery would eat with Yukimura, Sanada and Yanagi and sometimes the rest of the team. Somehow, she just doesn't have the appetite. She stared at the sea of birch trees covering the landscape, her food completely untouched. She held her fork with one hand while the other was supporting her cheek. "Ave-chan!" The girl turned her attention to the owner of the voice.

"Why did you not tell me that a group of men bullied you that time?" Marui said puffing his cheeks. Avery turned to Yukimura who gave her a _yes, I told him _look and she grimaced. She turned to Marui and smiled.

"I was not harmed. Nothing bad happened to me." Avery responded stabbing her fork to a piece of broccoli and taking it to her mouth.

"But they were bullied." Yukimura chuckled, though he was not amused at what Marui said since he wasn't putting into consideration his cousin's safety, the statement just went right.

"Bunta!" Jackal reprimanded him. He turned to Avery with an apologetic expression on his face. "I'm sorry about that Asusagawa."

"How mean!" Avery exclaimed puffing her cheeks. "And here I thought you're angry at him, Seiichi!" She pointed her index finger at Marui who stuck his tongue out.

O~O~O

The color of the sky that afternoon was like a blood's color. Two men stood at the tennis courts, panting. Some outsider challenged the emperor of Rikkai Dai. Somehow, both managed to reach the tie break, and was about to continue, that until Yukimura arrived to stop the match.

Atobe retrieved his things and headed out of the school premises. He arrived at the park where he instructed his driver to get him. His ever elegant smirk was visible on his as he tried to reminisce on the game that he had… he needed to improve his skills. He still has a long way to go, he wasn't contented in what he has and he still needs-

"You dare ruin my shirt, huh?" A blonde adult gripped on a poor little girl's wrist.

"I'm sorry, Kin-san!" The girl exclaimed but it was futile. She can't get out of this situation and no one could help her out.

"Your apologies cannot clean this expensive shirt of mine!" Atobe rolled his eyes at the man's statement. They are fussing over about something that can easily be replaced. Some people are just cheap minded sometimes. The girl let out a cry as the Kin's grip tightened.

A loud mocking chuckle erupted from Atobe's throat. "Commoners just can't get over their expensive shirts, huh?" He said as a smirk formed upon his lips. The girl looked at him with a worried expression. The blonde, tanned skin man might have a reputation in this place but he is the king and no one shall look down on him.

From behind the group, a pair of red eyes was watching the events unfold. A smile came upon her lips as the purple haired challenger of some particular person came into the scene. "Interesting…" She muttered with a glint of amusement in her eyes.

"What did you say, you little brat?" The blonde man towered Atobe but he wasn't intimidated. Kin let go of the girl who ran away from the area. "Are you challenging me?" He leaned forward, meeting his pair of blue eyes with that of Atobe's black ones.

"It's not ore-sama who is challenging you, but you challenging ore-sama." Atobe smirked. If it weren't for what happened in the courts, he wouldn't be minding this low life but he needed to take his frustration off.

"Seems like you play my sport, too." Kin said. "How about we play a match?"

"Sounds good…" Atobe responded as his smirk widened.

O~O~O

The color of the setting sun bask the tennis court nearby the park. A girl with a pair of red eyes intently stared at the man with blonde hair panting as he fell on his knees to the ground. She stayed behind the fences of the court and watched the match between the purple haired man and the blonde man unfolded. She gave a disgusted look at the blonde who proved to be nothing but talk.

"Such power!" The blonde panted. "Impossible…" He added as he closed his eyes with nothing to do but to accept his defeat.

Atobe went out the fenced area and turned to the only spectator of the match. He walked towards the girl with a smirk on his face. "Did you enjoy that boring match? Were you that girl's friend?" He asked with his tone of authority.

"A while ago, did you do it to save the girl or did you do it so that you can let your frustration out?" The girl asked bluntly much to Atobe's shock. He quickly regained his composure, however.

"I must say, you are quite a reader. What's your name?" Atobe asked.

It was the girl's turn to smirk. "When you want to know someone's name, you should tell them your name first and then ask for their name. That's the proper way of introducing yourself, right?" A pair of black velvet orbs met with a pair of bloody red orbs.

Atobe was facing a girl with a nerve to tell him something like that. His smirk widened. "You're quite a girl to say that to ore-sama." The girl chuckled at his statement.

"People tell me that a lot." She responded.

"Avery!" A gentle voice called from behind the jet black haired girl. She groaned in irritation when she knew that she was defeated in this game she started with the man in front of her. "It's time for us to go home." She turned around, paying no more attention to Atobe. Sanada and Yukimura were behind, waiting for her.

"Understood!" Avery said as she put her hands behind her neck. _Great! Now he knows my name!_ She thought, trying her best to remain as calm as possible. She walked pass the two only to stop when she noticed that no one was following her.

Avery ran back to Yukimura and Sanada. Her brows furrowed at the sight of Sanada who was having a staring contest with Atobe. She blinked and smirked when it came to her. Both were still affected by what had happened moments ago. _This will be fun. _Avery thought.

"Did something happen?" Yukimura's brows furrowed, telling Avery that whatever she had on mind to stop it. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and puffed her cheeks. "Who is he anyway?" She asked her cousin who looked at her with his mouth slightly gaped open.

"That person is Atobe Keigo. The well known National player in Hyotei Gakuen, Ave." The girl eyed the man with purple hair whose gaze was still fixed with the two well known tennis players in the area.

_Atobe Keigo, huh?_ Avery thought with a passive look on her face.

Who would have thought that slacking off somewhere would make her life more complicated as it was? Meeting Atobe Keigo and knowing his name might be a privilege for some girls but for her, it was something she wasn't proud or ashamed of. It was something in the middle. She didn't care… and she never will.

However, that was when both learned the name of the person that caught their interest. It was carved in their fate that the two shall meet and even with unseen threads, whatever the color might it be; when people meet a certain connection is formed. May it be something good or bad, love or hatred, war or peace, there will always be a connection among people.

**So what do you guys think? I hope you liked it.  
**

**Oh and for those who have read Ballad of the Lost Soul, there is a 360 degree personality change with my OC. So please don't expect her to be the same. **

**Next chapter will be out… soon, hopefully. **


	2. Tragic Transfer, Happy Game

**And here's chapter two! I am very happy that there are people who reviewed the first chapter. Also, thanks to those who subscribed and reviewed. You guys absolutely made my day!**

**I don't own PoT. **

**I hope you guys will like it! **

The start of another life cycle of the Sakura tree started, yet again. Compared to last year's parting to the pink petals, this year's was… devastating. At least for the Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku tennis club. They might not say it but the gloomy atmosphere whenever one passes by is always felt. Not by everyone, though, for they still see them as cool middle school students who are dedicated to tennis.

Avery stopped when she passed by the tennis courts. Her grip on the strap of her bag tightened as the first years ran another exhausting lap. Sanada stood by the side lines, supervising their training and strictly pointing out their flaws. Then, Sanada diverted his gaze outside the tennis courts. Avery's red orbs met with Sanada's in a moment's passing. It was Avery who looked away first. She turned her back at the courts and headed towards the main gate.

"Going to Yukimura?" A silver haired teen said from behind. He wore a yellow with black stripes jersey and a pair of white shorts. Avery turned to him with a smile and nodded.

"Better get back to training, Niou." Avery said to the silver head.

"Puri~" Niou said before Avery turned her back at him and walked in the opposite direction.

O~O~O

The sakuras may not be that lively for the year, but the youth's spirit will never be contained. No matter how hard life may be for them, they will forever blossom in the eyes of the world… at least for the Hyotei Gakuen regulars. Atobe and the regulars ran laps before moving on with the prepared training plan for each of them.

Atobe's smirk came upon his lips when he was able to defeat someone who challenged him in a match. Sakaki-sensei told him that the kid got potential and he heard that since Atobe's time, the rules in the club changed. And he wanted to repeat history by doing what Atobe did during his first year, and he was a fool for doing such. The challenger fell on his knees, panting.

"Be awed by my prowess!" Atobe declared. Oshitari smirked at the certain memory of hearing those words came out of Atobe's mouth the first time they had a match. And because of that, both had a fairly good relationship.

"Have you heard?" Of course, Hyotei cannot live without rumors spreading from one student to another until the rumor will become a fine piece of literature. Students nowadays are more creative than teachers.

"Was it about Hinamori-san?"

"No silly! It's about Rikkai Dai's captain, Yukimura Seiichi." This one got Atobe's attention. He turned to Oshitari who shrugged and both listened intently. For the first time in three years, Atobe and Oshitari intently listened to what this rumor was. "He was hospitalized. Sanada is currently taking over their tennis club." Both Oshitari and Atobe looked at each other and then back to the two.

"Why is he in the hospital?"

"I'm not quite sure but I think the disease is a cancer." Atobe blinked, telling to himself that this is the start of the legend he and Oshitari was talking about.

Then the other boy ran towards his friends. "Ne, Shin! Have you heard, Yukimura got a cancer?!" Oshitari didn't know if he'd find it amusing since he just witnessed how rumors become legend or he'd find it distasteful since students keep on spreading things without confirming it.

Then they turned back to the tennis courts and saw Mukahi running towards them with a frown on his face. "Atobe! Yushi! This is bad! Choutarou is in the hospital!" He shouted. Both third years' attention was caught.

O~O~O

Avery's hair freely cascaded up to her waist. Her red eyes searched for a certain store in Tokyo that could be of use to her until she spotted a useful one. Entering in a private school in Japan has advantages and disadvantages. People seem to look at her because of the uniform she was wearing. She entered a book store and for the first time in her middle school life, she grabbed the monthly pro tennis magazine. She scanned the pages of the reading material and smiled. "I'm sure he would love this." She went towards the counter and paid for the material. Then, it occurred to her, maybe, he wouldn't love this for a reading material… of course, he wouldn't! Who would, after being diagnosed with a disease that took everything away from you?!

She entered the hospital and looked around. People crowded in the lobby and many doctors rushed towards the emergency area since there was an arrival of a patient who just got in a car accident. Avery passed by the busy area and went towards the elevator. She pushed the button with the arrow pointing upward. The elevator doors opened in front of her. She was about to enter, then she stopped.

_I told Sanada to leave him for a while because he's still affected by the disease. _

_That's right should I be in here? Maybe I should just go home._

_But you're his cousin and besides you're older than him. You should be responsible since you're the oldest family member at home. _

_No, maybe I'll let this slide this time. Besides, I'm just older than him for a few months. And Hina might be home by now._

_How mean! You're making Hina your scapegoat. How pitiful!_

_But you see…_ The elevator door started closing and Avery had no choice but to push the button again and start contemplating on whether or not he should go inside or go home. _As scary as he is, I think I should go now._

"Asusagawa-san?" A familiar voice brought Avery back to reality. She turned to the owner of the voice. A man wearing a white coat made her loosen up a bit.

"Doctor? Is something wrong?" Avery was feeling guilty. If someone didn't see her, then she would have been more comfortable not visiting Seiichi, but no, someone just have to pop out of nowhere and-

"It's best not to visit him for today. Besides, we need to talk since his parents trust you a lot. For a teenager." Avery smiled at the statement. Now the heavens really opened for her.

"What is it, doctor?"

O~O~O

Choutarou was surprised when he got out of the clinic. His senpais plus Hiyoshi were staring at him as if he was caught in an accident or something. Hyotei sure has a way with making a rumor a complicated story. Atobe practically called a chauffeur to drive him and his teammates towards the hospital. "I just wanted to let them check if my wrist is fine, senpai." Atobe gave the red head beside him a glare.

"My bad!" Mukahi said with an apologetic smile. "I just heard it from some tennis members."

"That still doesn't mean you don't have to confirm it, na Kabaji?" Atobe's glare became more intense.

"Usu!" The tall second year nodded.

"But, thank you senpai-tachi, Hiyoshi-kun, too." Choutarou said as he scratched the back of his head and smiled.

A group of nurses came running in front of them and headed towards two persons in the nurse's station. One was a doctor with gray hair mixed with his black hair and the other was a student wearing a Rikkai Dai Fuzoku uniform.

"Doctor Sawada! Yukimura-kun had some attack. Please check on him immediately!" One of the nurses yelled. Avery felt her heart sank at the words the nurses uttered. How could that be possible? It was just supposed to be some neurological disease, how could he have an attack? Technically, he still has attacks since his disease is something that cannot just be taken lightly, but, what kind of attack is that?

"I'll talk to you later, Asusagawa-san." The doctor grabbed his stethoscope and followed the nurses. They rushed towards the second floor and left Avery in the lobby.

"_Ne, Asusagawa-senpai, don't you have plans on joining any club activities?" A second year said to the girl. It was late in the afternoon and Avery together with the tennis regulars waited by the station. _

"_Why would I join, Akaya-kun?" Avery asked almost as if in a hum. She turned to the seaweed haired second year with a sweet smile. "If I did, I wouldn't have the pleasure of seeing you guys cry in training." _

_Yukimura glanced at his cousin when she said those words. If he hadn't known her too well, he might think that she was serious… at least he hoped that it was a joke. _

"_What's wrong, Yukimura?" Sanada asked when he noticed that the blue haired boy was staring at Avery and Kirihara with a serious expression._

"_It's just that, Avery is unexpectedly fond of Kirihara. It's the first time that I saw her like that." Yukimura answered as Sanada stared at the two._

_After a few minutes, both Yukimura and Sanada were adorned by silence. The other regulars around them had some discussion among themselves. Yagyuu and Yanagi remained silent throughout the day. _

"_I told you to stay away from Avery, Kirihara." A glare sent shivers down Marui's spine courtesy of Avery when he said those words. "You might not know it but she only has an angel's face on the outside but inside she's more evil than the devil himself." He whispered to his kohai (underclassman)._

"_Oi oi, Bunta!" Jackal reprimanded but knowing Marui, he would continue to do his teasing until Avery would break his bones only to be stopped by Yukimura._

"_That's why she's still here on Earth because the demons cannot take her evilness." Marui then stopped to look at Avery who was supposed to be standing on his right. He still haven't felt anything violent or heard some insults coming from the girl. "Avery?"_

"_Seiichi!" Avery came running towards their blue haired captain who seemed to be getting out of balance. She glided towards him and luckily caught Yukimura before he could hit the cold, hard floor. The train passed by blowing some litters and trash in the process. _

"_Call an ambulance, quick!" Sanada barked an order to the others. _

_Yanagi helped Avery support Yukimura as they waited._

Avery took a deep breath as she sat down on one of the benches in the lobby. She gripped on her phone tightly, contemplating how she would tell Yukimura's parents what just happened to their beloved son and whether she would tell Sanada and the others what just happened to their dearest captain. Oh the pressure of being the older cousin! Her grip tightened. She looked up and saw a bunch of teenage boys wearing a familiar school uniform flocking across her. They had their tennis equipments in one side and Avery couldn't help but feel bad for Yukimura not being able to play tennis anymore. Then her eyes stopped on a certain someone she met a year ago. The purple haired teen was standing across her, his gaze on the little snow blonde boy who seemed to be explaining something about his wrist.

'_He is…' _Avery's mouth slightly gaped open but she regained her composure. She put on a calm façade as she tried contemplating.

_How about I tell it to Sanada and the others first? _

_That would be rude of you! Seiichi's parents accepted you in their family and you'll let his friends know what happened to him first? _

_I know but I can't just simply tell them that, 'hey! How are you guys? I just want you to know that Seiichi has an attack and they are currently doing their best to help him. Hope to see you guys soon!' That would be more-_

The phone vibrated sending her an unfamiliar and unlikable sensation. She flinched at the feeling and almost yelped. She dropped the phone that remained vibrating.

_It's auntie! What should I do?!_ Avery was taken aback. She was torn between picking it up or simply letting it as is.

_Plan A: answer it and say everything is absolutely perfectly normal! _

_Too suspicious!_

_Plan B: Tell her in a fast pace that Seiichi is currently being checked by the doctors because of some attack._

_She would just let me repeat everything since she would understand nothing!_

_Plan C: Let the phone ring all it want, don't answer it!_

_You're not escaping this, idiot!_

"Hello? Auntie? I'm sorry but Seiichi is currently being checked by the doctors because of some attack and whatever you do please don't panic because right now they are checking on him and he is in a perfectly absolutely normally fine condition! I'm telling you please don't panic!" Avery panted after saying everything it in a fast pace that caught almost everyone's attention. A blush crept on her face as she smiled at them and turned away.

"_Ave, dear, I'm not panicking but you are." _She heard her aunt said from the other line with a chuckle on her face. _"I called you so that you could tell the doctors that Sei-kun is allergic to the drug that they will give him. But I think it's too late. My, I hope he's fine. Please check on him, okay?" _The gentle motherly voice was heard in the line and Avery couldn't help but get overwhelmed by it. _"I'll put you in charge of the two. I'll check on you later, another meeting's up." _And with that, Avery sighed in relief. That's one problem that was solved.

'_All I need is to check on Seiichi and then-'_ Avery stood up and grabbed her things as she ran towards the second floor, clutching on her open bag, which was not noticed by her. _'I should have checked on him and not sit here and make a fool of myself!' _She thought.

Atobe's attention was caught by a glistening object that dropped on the bench. He didn't pay attention to it for a couple of moments until before it was time for them to go out. The thing was being ignored by the people and he couldn't help but be attracted to its glistening enchantment. Atobe stopped and picked up the luckiest thing in the world to ever get his attention. It was a clip made of gold that possess a beautiful cluster of daffodils. Behind it carved the number of carat and at the tip carved an initial. _A.A._

And of course, as kind hearted as he is, Atobe would give it to the lost and found department in the hospital.

"Ne, have you seen Noriko's new bracelet?" A nurse from the station asked her companion.

"Yeah, that was the bracelet of one of the patient's relative. I think she got interest in it and told the poor fellow that no one surrendered it. People nowadays!" The man exclaimed with a shrug.

"Heh?! Maybe I'll do that to some of the unclaimed jewelries!"

Scratch that! Atobe pocketed the clip and headed outside. He'll find the owner himself. Besides, he was sure that it was the jet black haired girl's clip. You will know that it's her if you saw a pair of red eyes staring at you. Not all people have that eye color.

O~O~O

_There are things in this world that could only be understood when you meet it. But even if you met that thing, you still can't understand it. (1)_

Avery read the lines with amusement glistening in her eyes. Funny how that line seemed to fit the real world. Just like Yukimura's disease. She shook her head to get those thoughts out of her head at the moment. She leaned her cheek against the palm of her hand and stared out the window. As much as she enjoyed history, her mood is not into the subject. She could read it tonight that is if she had the initiative to do so.

Somehow, after yesterday's event, Avery couldn't help but think about Yukimura's condition. The blue haired boy was sleeping when she entered his room. Luckily, the attack wasn't something as fatal as she thought. That only left her one thing to think of, will she tell Yukimura the fifty-fifty chance of survival in that operation?

O~O~O

Atobe sat in the student council couch as he stared the scene outside the window. The advantages of owning having the position of a student council president includes having a good view of the school, easier way to make others recognize your authority, proving to everyone that you are worthy to be called a king and that they would think twice in challenging you, and the list goes on… at least for a certain Atobe Keigo.

He turned back to the desk and scanned some paper works he should do before going to his club activities. He picked a pile of folders, and unfortunately, some of the papers dropped to the ground. Atobe leaned down and picked the dropped papers, the liaison should be careful about these papers… _These are not supposed to be given to me._ Atobe thought at the sight of confidential files. Files that should be in the principal's office were given to him. They should change the liaison before anything would happen.

Atobe sighed. He should personally give it to the principal before anything would happen to it.

O~O~O

Yukimura heard the clicking of the door knob and noises coming from outside. He turned to the door with a smile on his face. "You guys!" He exclaimed in pure joy.

"Yo!" Marui greeted him, holding on a plastic bag with a box of sweets inside.

"Buchou!" Kirihara exclaimed with a wide grin on his face.

Sanada nodded at Yukimura. The unspoken greeting of the two could only be filled with respect and admiration… only men could understand those things.

The rest of the regulars entered the room. Somehow, the light in Yukimura's face returned. Avery leaned against the door frame and watched the scene in front of her. A small smile formed on her lips. _Tokyo huh? I think I'm going to miss these moments. _She thought as she left the group in their own little world. At least they could keep Yukimura accompanied for the time being.

"_Will you gamble on that?" Avery asked, her bangs covering her eyes as Yukimura stared at her with a gasp. His eyes spoke of fear and at the same time, a little light of hope appeared. "It's not really an act of cowardice to escape."_

"_I'll take it!" Yukimura said with his fists clenched. Avery turned to the blue haired teen whose eyes were filled with determination. That burning desire to recover and live… that burning zeal of compassion to take back what once was lost… was something she couldn't get a hold of. _

"_Then," A smile came upon the red eyed girl's lips. "I'll pray for your recovery, Seiichi!" She said with glee coating her words. She couldn't let him see it. She hid her trembling hands behind her back and smiled at Yukimura. "I'll be here, no matter what!" _

"_Thank you." Yukimura responded._

O~O~O

Yukimura and Avery stood on the roof top. The white sheets were being dried with the help of natural light and fresh air. Yukimura needed some fresh air anyway so he decided to go with Avery and talk about important matters.

"On the bright side, I could visit you everyday whatever time I like." Avery said with a smile on her face. Yukimura's mouth slightly gaped open. A pout adorned Avery's lips. "I should be the one giving you that face, Seiichi. I'll be fine."

"Bunta would surely miss teasing you." Avery laughed lightly. "Make sure to gain some friends in that school, okay?"

"You're not my father, Seiichi!" Yukimura chuckled. "But I'll try."Aside from Yukimura and his friends, Avery has no other friends. A sigh escaped her lips.

"Looks like father needs me this time. His shameful daughter…" Yukimura's mouth gaped open.

'_You still hate yourself… all this time' _

"Ne, I met with him." Yukimura's mouth slightly gaped open. Avery met with whom? "It was an omiai(marriage interview). Father is starting to get frustrated at me, so I decided to give this one a chance." Yukimura's brows furrowed. The thing is, he encouraged Avery to attend a normal middle school and stay with them for the time being, is because he wanted to see her smile and not act like an adult and think of stuffs that only adults should.

"Omiai? With whom?" Yukimura asked.

"That Atobe Keigo guy." If his guts didn't tell him that something was wrong, he would chuckle or even laugh at this.

"I'm surprised that you were able to stand his narcissism." Avery turned her back at him. She held on the wired fence in the rooftop with a soft smile forming on her lips. She gave a light chuckle but it was not an amused one.

"I was surprised as well. Father and mother were there with me. His parents were present as well. I had no choice but to show respect for his parents." The girl's jet black hair covered a part of her face. Her smile never disappeared from her lips. "You see, our parents have decided on our future."

"Were you satisfied with that?" Yukimura asked as he gazed down. Avery faced him with a grin. She put her hands behind her and slightly tilted her head.

"I'm satisfied." Yukimura sighed at the expected answer she gave. Of course, she's satisfied. She had no choice but to fill such. But, is she happy?

_I lost in this round, huh? _Avery thought as she looked at the busy street. _Come to think of it, I am always losing._

O~O~O

"I know it's a bit late but from today onwards, we'll be having a new student." Everyone's attention was caught. At least something interesting happened before their torturous math came. The class became noisy and as usual, Atobe remained composed. He doesn't care whether there'll be a new student because by the end of the day, he or she shall be basking in his glory. Frankly, his attention was not with the class at the moment.

A sigh escaped his lips as he crossed his arms. Remembering the events that took place the other day was just frustrating. Nonetheless, he met the girl once again. The girl that caught his attention was his latest and probably the last omiai since his parents had decided that his future shall be seen with her. How frustrating! Throughout dinner, the girl looked bored and would just answer if they talked to her. He even asked some questions to her but she looked like she wasn't interested in him even though his parents pointed out his achievements. He should be worshipped, but she didn't. Perhaps he was interested in that girl because she didn't immediately show signs of adoring him, and that made things more interesting.

"Please come in!" The teacher turned to the door. It slid open, revealing a girl who neatly wore her uniform. She entered the classroom. All eyes were on her. She possessed a waist length jet black hair, and a fair complexion. Her height ranged from the average for her age. But her striking feature was the pair of red eyes. One would even be misled that she was wearing contact lenses, but she's not. "This is Asusagawa Avery. She'll be your new classmate, be nice to her."

Immediately, the murmurs of the student covered the room. Atobe's mouth slightly gaped open at the sight. He didn't expect her to transfer in his school. Heck, he still doesn't want to see her after their conversation in the omiai.

"Please to meet you!" Avery said with politeness in her tone.

"Do you have any questions?" The teacher asked.

A student raised his hand. "Where did you attend your first and second year, Asusagawa-san?"

"In Rikkai Dai." Avery said with a smile on her face.

They threw her random questions for the remaining minutes.

O~O~O

"_Does the presence of adults bore you?" Atobe asked the girl who sat across him after wiping his mouth. He made sure that the adults with them cannot hear their conversation. They were busy adoring some newly displayed piece of art in the restaurant and they left the two alone._

_Avery put her fork and knife on the plate and faced Atobe. "What makes you think it's their presence that bore me?" _

"_You're not joining in with the conversation."_

"_Is that so?"_

"_At least pretend that you like their company." Atobe said with his tone of authority._

"_It's better to show that you are not interested than to make them expect something. Besides, I am not bored with their presence, it's just that their conversation is always a repetition of their previous conversation." Avery chuckled lightly. "And you are also not into this thing, aren't you?" _

_A smirk came upon Atobe's lips. "Ore-sama's fascinated by your gift of perception."_

_It was Avery's time to smirk. "Anyone can see that. Yeah, anyone could, if they are just not engulfed in their motives, that is." Atobe's mouth slightly gaped open. "Sanada and Seiichi's right. You are a narcissist." She smiled at him. _

"_Even so, we both know that you're excited." The smile vanished. Avery frowned at his statement. "Isn't it a privilege for someone like you to be engaged with someone like me. We're kidding ourselves if we believe we have a chance." Atobe's smirk widened._

"_I agree with you about kidding ourselves in believing in something foolish. But that doesn't mean that you're the only one suffering for their decisions. I detest it. I eternally despise it." Avery mockingly chuckled. "For someone known to be intelligent you lack the skill to see through people's eyes. Or was it because you only think of being on top and forgot to see through a person's heart. How pitiful!" And Atobe didn't expect that a girl would just insult him. _

O~O~O

"Heh?! Asusagawa-senpai transferred?!" A boy with messy black hair exclaimed. He blinked at his senpais who nodded with an air of depression.

"It's her parents' will. We cannot do something about it." The red head said. "Somehow, I miss her now."

"Oi! What are you doing?! Go back to training!" Sanada shouted. The regulars complied, forgetting about the issue at hand.

O~O~O

A smirk came upon Atobe's lips once he thought of a way on how to make the girl fall to her knees and adore him. But patience shall be needed in the process. He rose from his seat and headed towards Avery who was staring out the window. The students were occupied in their own conversation but when Atobe stood up in his glory, their eyes were fixed on him.

"Ara?" Avery looked up at Atobe. Their gazes met and they stared at each other for a long time. Silence adorned the two. Even the room was filled when silence when the other students anticipated for the next event to partake.

"Asusagawa," Atobe smirked. Avery's guts told her that this is not a good sign. "Wait for me this afternoon. Ore-sama shall give you a ride home." He said as if everything was decided already. He turned her back at the girl and headed towards his seat.

"Wait! What makes you think I will let you give me a ride home?" Avery asked as she glared at the man.

Atobe chuckled as he stopped on his tracks. He faced the girl once again, his smirk widened. "Why, Asusagawa? As your fiancée it's my responsibility to ensure your safety." Avery pursed her lips at the whines of the girls and the surprised expression of the men. "I've told your father about it. He gladly thanked me." And with that, Avery gritted her teeth as she left the room, banging the door in the process. Atobe's smirk widened.

_That scum!_ Avery thought as she marched towards the roof top. _Looks like I won't be gaining friends in this school, Seiichi!_ She thought as she opened the door of the rooftop and inhaled a huge amount of fresh air. _If that's a start of war, then I shall accept that challenge, Atobe Keigo! _She exhaled and smirked, regaining her calm composure.

**What do you think? I hope Avery is not a Mary sue. T^T **

**Can you guys guess in which anime I got that quote from? Just a little game for you guys, hope you'll enjoy.**

**My sembreak's up so I may update weekly. Yey!**

**Please Review! **


	3. Tragic Compliment, Happy Hostility

**Here's the new chapter guys! The quote from the last chapter was from Gintama. No one even answered. =.=''' How mean! TTATT**

**Anyways, hope you'll enjoy this and review!  
**

**I still don't own PoT and will never own it. Sadly...  
**

Atobe helped Avery got out of the car. A butler stood by the double door, waiting for Avery to enter the house. Of course, Avery would only call it a house but for a commoner, it is a dream come true mansion.

"Thank you, Atobe." Avery said to him upon reaching the first step of the stairs in their porch. She faced him with a smile on her face. "Take care." She added, coating her words with sweetness. "Although it's not necessary for you to do so." She mumbled hoping that Atobe didn't hear it. The latter had a smirk on his face upon hearing those words. Some girl…

"It's only proper for ore-sama to do such a simple gesture." Atobe chuckled. He went back to his car and gave Avery one last look before getting in. She watched them leave before entering the house.

"Milady," The butler offered carrying Avery's bag. He had streaks of gray hair in the midst of his black locks. He is tall and stood in a nice posture. He walked ahead Avery, opening the double mahogany doors for her. "Master Yukino and Madame Amber are waiting for you in the dining hall."

Avery nodded and proceeded to the mentioned place. Upon reaching another white painted double door with gold doorknobs, she stopped on her tracks. The butler noticed this and stopped his hand midway from turning the knob. "Lady Avery?" He asked, worry evident in his tone.

"Adelbert?" Avery looked up and met with the butler's gaze. Among the people living in that large house, Adelbert was the only one who lasted this long to Avery. He had a family fifteen years ago. However, his wife and his five-year old son died in a car accident. Since then, he swore that he shall look after the newly born child of his master and shall treat him or her as his. "Do I think I look fine?"

A small smile came upon the butler's face. "More elegant than a princess, milady." He complimented as he patted Avery's shoulder and straightening her collar. After that, he headed back to the door and opened it for her. He gave an encouraging smile at her. Avery returned the smile and entered the room. Adelbert closed the door after greeting the two persons inside.

"Good evening, mama, papa." Avery's parents preferred to be called like that, unlike a traditional Japanese parent. To begin with, they are half Europeans, half Italians to be precise. A maid ushered Avery to her seat.

"Was that Atobe-kun a while ago?" Avery nodded and took her seat. Yukino, her father, had black hair neatly combed to the back. His dark hazel eyes matched his marble complexion. From the looks of it, he had just arrived from work since he was still wearing his suit and ties. Her mother, Amber, on the other hand, had long, gentle, wavy, burgundy hair that was complimented by her brown, almost red eyes. No doubt, stories from Adelbert on how her mother was courted by a lot of men were all true. Avery took a glance at the empty chair beside her.

Her father sat in the center front, her mother on the right side of her father and the children on his left side, since they have a long rectangular table. Since Avery is the second child, she was supposed to seat in the second seat on his father's left. An appetizing soup was served for them.

"I hope you and Keigo-kun are getting along well, Avery." Her mother's stern voice was heard. Avery grabbed her soup spoon and nodded. She stared at her soup, not daring to look at their eyes. "I don't want Keigo-kun complaining about your attitude, is that understood?"

"Yes." Avery responded, knowing too well that this long dinner is one of those things she'll grow resenting.

"I heard that you had an exam. How was it?" Amber pried further. She took a sip from her soup and stared sternly at Avery.

The youngest among them took a sip from her soup and nodded. "I got ninety percent, mama. Third in the class." A daughter living in a normal world would have made her parents proud upon hearing these words, but normal and Avery parted ways ever since she was born in the Asusagawa family who owns a couple of companies.

"Your sister also studied in Hyotei, you know? She aced everything, may it be school or club activities. I believe you don't have one." This time, it was Yukino who intervened in the mother-daughter conversation the two were pleasantly (sarcasm) having. Avery resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Sadly, she knew the outcome of this dinner. "And look at her now, she's a well-known doctor." Her father took a sip from his glass of wine. "Your mother and I expect a lot from you, Ave. You will be the one who will take over the company. Don't disappoint us like what you have been doing." She watched as the maids replaced the bowl with a plate that contains the main course of the night. Silence adorned the room, once again. Only the sound coming from the utensils was heard. Then, Avery remembered why she wanted to escape.

O~O~O

Atobe was greeted by Michael upon reaching the porch. As usual, he would immediately head to his room and take a nice warm bath before going downstairs to have some dinner. A smirk came upon his lips. '_Avery, huh?_' He thought upon remembering the girl's reaction when he purposely made it known to his classmates that they were engaged. Then, when he led the girl towards their ride, she pulled her hand back and walked ahead of him, completely ignoring his authority and his way of being a gentleman and rejecting his special treatment. _'Such an interesting girl' _Atobe thought.

Atobe submerged himself in the warm water. After a long day of school plus tennis practice, this treatment was just perfect. He let his muscles relax for the moment, before doing his assignments. His parents chose some strange and stubborn girl to be with him. She was the first one to challenge him by talking back, rejecting all of his special treatment and worst of all, by not being awed by his prowess. Those aside, he had to admit, that girl could compete easily with him, if she has found the motivation to do so. She's not that bad, really.

Atobe closed his eyes, letting his skin soak the warmth of the water.

O~O~O

The rays of the sun intruded the room of a certain jet black haired girl. The room is simple really. On the left side were glass doors leading to the room's balcony. If one would take a peek, the view of the garden filled with ornamental plants and trees could be seen. Going back inside, the glass doors were partially covered by the curtains hanging, so as to prevent too much sunlight going in especially during that time of the day. A classical bed with posts and beige curtains draping matched the white sheets and beige comforter. Beside the glass doors was a study table with a study lamp. The room's main door opened.

The owner of the room groaned upon hearing the tapping of shoes. Then, the comforter covering her from the sunlight was gone, much to her irritation. "Time to wake up, Avery-sama." The butler said, shaking the girl's shoulder. "You'll be late for school." He heard a groan erupted from the girl's throat. He heaved another sigh. "Atobe-san is waiting in the porch."

In a blink, Avery was out of her bed, running towards a room with her clothes, also known as cabinet for a normal person, and headed to the bathroom. "That narcissistic idiotic jerk son of a rich bastard!" Adelbert heard Avery muttered before closing the door of the bathroom.

Adelbert couldn't help but sigh at the language. Well, at least she's out of her bed now.

O~O~O

"Your bento, milady." Adelbert handed to Avery a box beautifully wrapped in a striped cloth. Avery nodded and grabbed the bento. She tapped her foot as she waited for Adelbert to open the front door.

"Did you cook it?" Avery asked as she put her bento inside her bag. Adelbert nodded, and for the first time that day, Avery's face was lightened up by a smile. "Thank you, then." She said and walked ahead of Adelbert, her eyes not tearing away from the man. Then she looked at her way, only to stop on heer tracks upon seeing the familiar black car parked on their porch. And she knew that car wasn't theirs since her mother doesn't want the color black for their luxury. Avery's jaw partially dropped.

"Who would have thought I was right? I was just trying to get milady out of her bed a while ago." A chill ran down Adelbert's spine upon seeing the glare directed upon him courtesy of Avery.

"That little idiotic narcissistic-*$*&^%^&#*" Adelbert sighed upon hearing the incoherent mumbles of Avery but one knew that she was pissed to hell. Good thing her parents left early for their commitments or heaven knows what tragedy might be given to the girl.

"Have a nice day, milady!" Adelbert finally said.

O~O~O

A week had passed since Atobe had proclaimed to the whole Hyotei that Avery is off limits. At least, that gave an idea to the guys that they should give up. But then again, every guy in school would back away from her when they see her intimidating red eyes. They would say something about it being weird, scary for those eyes are the eyes possessed by demons. Youth nowadays! Either they became more superstitious or they watch too much horror films.

Atobe headed out of his classroom and headed to the Student Council Room. Avery sat beside the window in the second row in the front, solving the last problem in her notebook. The assignment, luckily, was due after lunch. She forgot to do it last night since she was so engrossed in reading the crusades that she forgot there was an assignment itching to be done. She just remembered when she saw a group of students asking each other about it on her way to her classroom. She practically dashed towards her room, leaving Atobe behind without even saying a word to him. And of course, being Avery, the carefree peaceful phlegmatic girl coming from a family who expects her to be a powerful choleric, she didn't even think about Atobe at the moment.

"Asusagawa-san?" Avery stopped writing upon hearing her name. She whipped her head to the side, her silky black hair followed with her movement and blinked upon seeing the girl who called. Avery would tie her hair up, but there was this instance that Marui and the others mistook her for a boy and since then, she let her hair freely cascade or just use a clip to avoid any distractions.

"Yes?" Avery stared at the girl who was smiling at her. She has long wavy silver hair tied in two low pigtails and a pair of ocean blue eyes, and has a pale skin. She neatly wore her uniform like most girls are expected to. "Can I help you?" Avery blinked when the girl smiled.

"I am Yamato Hitomi. Let's be friends from now on, okay?" The girl held out her hand for Avery who was unsure of the events that were happening. Yamato grabbed Avery's hands, Avery dropping her pen in the process, and shook it. After that, Hitomi went to her other friends and left Avery alone.

O~O~O

Atobe reached the rooftop, making sure no one was able to follow him. No one means his teammates, classmates, teachers and worst of all, his fangirls! Ah! Of course, even Atobe Keigo, Hyotei Gakuen's resident king, also has problems like a normal teenager has. And by a normal teenager, it means, someone who is popular to the people and sometimes become the subject in rumors. What would a school be without rumors of a certain someone? He closed the door and went to the back of the wall so that he could hide relax and forget his problems, at least for an hour or so. Good, the sun was covered by the clouds. He just had enough of girls from everywhere and anywhere, even some guys, asking him if he could no longer date a girl because of a certain engagement. And who even said that he's married?!

"A friend, huh?" Atobe stopped on his tracks upon hearing a familiar voice of a girl. "There was one attempt." A faint chuckle was heard. "She nearly fooled me. Her eyes revealed it all." Wait, eyes? The only person he knew that could determine a person's feelings towards a certain subject is… Asusagawa Avery. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine, Seiichi."

Atobe took a cautious step. _Yukimura Seiichi?_ He remembered Avery being called by Yukimura when he went to Kanagawa and played a match with Sanada. He took another step, and then his gaze met with a pair of red orbs. The color of determination, the color of passion, the color used in war… red. But somehow, the owner of the said eye color has eyes that reflect the opposite… dull, void. Perhaps the reason why he was interested to the girl is the color of her eyes and the irony it reflects.

"I'll talk to you later, Seiichi." For some reason, Atobe felt something irked within his chest. He hated that feeling. "It's the first time I saw you visit the roof top, being someone who is the center of attraction." Avery said as if mocking him. She let a mocking chuckle erupt from her throat and smirked at him. "Perhaps you're running away from your fangirls, your majesty?"

Atobe rolled his eyes at the statement. "Ore-sama is never bothered by small things like those. Ore-sama can handle them easily." Avery gave another chuckle, as if implying that she doesn't believe him. "Ore-sama wants some fresh air." Atobe raised a brow when the girl rose from the floor and headed towards the fenced area facing the garden.

"Heh? But the air in the garden is much fresher than the air in here." Avery wanted to find his weakness. To her, humans are like puzzles. Once you discovered the pattern, the mystery shall be diminished and they will be easy to manipulate. Atobe gave an exasperated sigh, an act he would never let anyone see, but this girl was able to lure it out of him. A small smile came upon Avery's face upon hearing it. She turned to Atobe who leaned against the wall and slid down on the floor.

Avery walked towards Atobe and sat where she used to seat before he came. She was just inches away from Atobe, her bento box peacefully lying in between them. "A while ago, was that Yukimura, ahn?" Atobe looked up the sky, asking himself why he asked some prying question to the girl.

"Yeah, he was just checking on me." Avery chuckled.

"You two must be very good friends." Atobe muttered. Avery resisted the snort and chuckle erupting and instead blinked. Then she realized something about his voice was different. Somehow, his words were coated with something that she too, doesn't know, but it was something unusual for Atobe. She knew that, too, even though they just met each other last year and even if they are not seeing each other on daily basis before.

A small smile came upon Avery's lips. "Ne, Atobe, do you know why no matter what we do, we can't reach the sky?" She asked out of the blue. She was somehow following Atobe's gaze and wanted to tell him about some realization she had. Atobe turned to her with a surprised look. A normal girl would squeal, blush or even flinch, in some cases faint, when they are given the chance to seat beside the great Atobe Keigo. But this girl asked some question that can be answerable by a scientific law. Atobe remained silent for a couple of seconds. His brows furrowed when Avery turned to him and smiled. "Because it knows too well that humans would take it for granted."

Two teenagers sitting on the rooftop and gazing at the sky… some nice view for once. However, that scene could really be nice if there was no grumbling sound that intervened. Avery's cheeks were tainted red from all that humiliation. Atobe turned to her with a chuckle. But that smirk on Atobe's face was short lived when his stomach decided to respond to Avery's. Then, he heard the girl laughed in an ungirly like manner. He sent a glare at the girl who smiled at him. No one dared to laugh at him, except for this girl, apparently.

"We better eat." Avery broke the eye to eye nonverbal conversation between them. She removed the cloth covering bento box and handed Atobe a spoon. "Adelbert cooked a lot for my lunch. We can share." Avery said without even any shyness in her voice. It's as if she was talking to some normal guy that would take anyone's lunch.

Then, Atobe noticed the white cloth wrapped around Avery's hand. Ignoring the spoon, Atobe gently caressed the hand and looked at Avery. "What happened?"

"That's a first." Avery raised a brow. "You are worried for me? And here I thought you only care about yourself." She hummed, ignoring the fact that her hand was bandaged and that Atobe was worried. "I get wounded easily." She lied. "I just got a little accident with the glass wares a while ago." Atobe's brows furrowed as he stared at the girl's hand.

O~O~O

"Was that your fiancee's cooking?" Oshitari smirked upon asking Atobe. The purple haired teen didn't know how to respond to that at all. Just how did Oshitari see? Heck, how did he know that the two were together in the rooftop that lunch? "I have my ways you know, Atobe." Oshitari added as if reading his thoughts.

"She's not the kind of girl who will cook for someone." Atobe answered to the kansai genius.

A smirk came upon Oshitari's lips. "Not even to the great Atobe Keigo?" The tensai exasperated. Oh how he loved this day! How he loved cornering Atobe to the verge of his irritation! All those times of him getting close to the edge by Atobe's blunt, bratty compliments are finally paying off, by this one brink of a moment.

Atobe raised a brow. He turned to Oshitari with a glare on his features. "Are you taking advantage of talking to me while the others are practicing or you simply want to bask in ore-sama's glory?" Atobe asked to the blue haired teen who gave a worried smile. "Go back to training, Yushi!" Oshitari complied but he still had that smirk on his face. Atobe is a clueless jerk sometimes. The tensai wanted to meet the girl who made Atobe look so… so, so not Atobe. The best part is, the girl seemed to not show any interest for Atobe. She did not come to any of his teammates to ask what Atobe's favoured things are, no gifts being sent to Atobe via Choutarou, no attending of tennis practices, and no attending of practices means no stimulating of Atobe's ego by fangirling.

And speaking of fangirls, it just doesn't seem right. Why are they not doing anything yet? Oshitari stopped studying his racket and looked around. The bleachers have less Atobe fangirls. "No signs of them either." He muttered. Are they giving respect? Impossible, they are just the kind of people who doesn't know their limits. When Atobe had a marriage interview with a certain female in Hyotei, the fangirls made sure that the girl shall experience hell. So where are they now?

Oshitari turned to Atobe who was talking to Kabaji.

O~O~O

"Marui-senpai! Marui-senpai! This is bad!" Kirihara ran towards the tennis courts. Marui blew his gum up into a balloon and turned to his distressed kohai.

"What's wrong, Kirihara?" The red head asked as he watched his younger teammate catch his breath. Marui blinked.

"Ave-senpai is married!" Marui blinked and burst into laughter. Even Jackal resisted the urge to laugh at his statement. Avery, the girl with a twisted mind, is married? At this age? At this time around, she would have run away from her groom! How unfortunate would her groom be! "This is not the time to be laughing, senpai!" Kirihara yelled.

"Ave-chan is not married yet, Kirihara. Just engaged." Marui wrapped an arm around his kohai's shoulder. Kirihara blinked.

"Engaged? No, I talked to her. I called her." Kirihara insisted.

"What did she say?" Jackal asked as he walked towards them.

Kirihara looked up and put his index finger on his chin. "She laughed while saying ,'Maybe' to me. Then, I asked again and I heard her chuckle and said, 'Married.' Then she hung up." Marui laughed again, this time louder.

"A normal girl's maybe might mean yes, but for Avery, maybe means, find it out yourself. And she didn't answer it. When she said married, she's amused by your choice of words, again. Besides, who even told you that she's married?" Marui asked.

"Niou-senpai." And Marui laughed his heart out for the third time that day. Kirihara tried hiding the blush on his cheeks. Kirihara didn't know whether to feel ashamed because Avery was playing with him for the nth time, or be ashamed because he was tricked by Niou-senpai for the nth time. Either way, both are something to be ashamed of.

"Puri~" Niou simply muttered as he watched Kirihara and Marui from the stairs. Oh how he loved tricking his cute little kohai!

O~O~O

The old Greek teacher entered class three A, hoping that she left her binder on the teacher's desk and no students messed with it. She slid the door open and entered the room, only to spot one student. It was dismissal and students nowadays either escape their after school responsibilities or do it hastily. A small smile came upon her lips upon spotting her binder untouched lying on the teacher's table. She walked towards it and grabbed it. She then turned to the only student left.

"Asusagawa-san?" The addressed student turned to the teacher and greeted her with a bow. "You are Asusagawa Lianne's younger sister, right?"

_Must be nee-chan's teacher when she was in middle school. _Avery thought as she nodded in reply. "Sensei?" Avery asked when the teacher opened the binder and scanned the pages. She took a glance at Avery and then back to her binder. A bead of sweat trickled down Avery's cheek.

"Looks like both of you are bright students, huh? Atobe-san is catching up with your sister's unbreakable record of grades. Come to think of it, your grades are also catching up with Atobe-san's." The teacher headed to Avery and put a hand on her shoulder. "I hope you do your best as well and be like your sister, Lianne. She visited me last year, still having that huge smile on her face. Then, the other day, I had a check-up, I was surprised to see her in the hospital. I must be getting old. Oh, you two have a huge age difference, right?"

"Y-Yes, sensei." The younger girl responded, giving a meek smile. She clenched her fists, her nails digging on her palms. Her bandages on her left hand were stained red. She gave a smile to the teacher.

"I wish to see you shine." Avery was about to smile at the teacher's statement but that vanished when she heard the next statement. "Just like how your sister outshined her classmates. Look up to her, okay?" She just nodded in reply and the teacher left her in the room. If that was the first time she heard of it, then she would simply shrug it off and just laugh at it later. But, hearing similar worse things like that almost every day is something that she hated the most.

Avery rolled her eyes as she grabbed her bag and headed for the door. _Another fan of my sister. _She thought as she walked. Then, she looked up when she heard someone entered. A smile came upon her face. "Yamato-san? What brings you here?"

The girl with silver hair that approached Avery that morning had a disgusted look on her face. "And here I thought after what happened to you in english class a while ago at least helped you learn your lesson." She said as she closed the door of the classroom. "We warned you Asusagawa. Are you belittling our power just because you came from an influential family?"

Avery's mouth gaped open at the statement. In fact, she didn't care at all, what is happening to her doesn't have anything to do with the last name she carries. Society is a cruel enemy after all.

"Answer me, you spoiled brat princess!" Yamato barked an order. She grabbed Avery's arm and gripped on it tightly.

Avery remained silent, contemplating on whether to fight back because Yamato did it for the second time that day, or because Yamato made her look weak by including her family in their strife, or simply because Yamato called her a brat. Avery knew that she'd fight back because of the latter. A sigh escaped her lips. At least in Rikkai she only gets bullied because of her closeness with the regulars. Another sigh escaped her lips. "Let go of me, Yamato-san."

"Why should I let go of you, Avery-hime?" Yamato mockingly asked.

"Let go of me before I let myself be defeated by my anger." Avery's free hand gripped on Yamato's arm that was holding her other arm. Yamato let go of the black haired girl's arm because of the very tight hold. Avery pushed the girl away from the door and opened it. Yamato flinched when she saw the fearsome red orbs stared at her. "Don't ever come near me again, Yamato Hitomi." Avery said before leaving the room.

Yamato leaned against the wall, letting it support her. Her legs shook at the glare Avery gave. She clutched her chest as she let herself slid down the ground. She took deep breaths to calm herself but she just can't calm down after that encounter. She regretted it.

O~O~O

Atobe was surprised to see a certain female leaning against the wall of the main building waiting for him. Her bag was lying on the ground as she stared at the screen of her phone. A smirk came upon Atobe's lips as he approached the girl. "Finally decided to wait for ore-sama?" Atobe asked.

"Good, you're here." Avery said as she grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder, and walked ahead of Atobe. She then turned to Atobe who was not following her. A group of girls was able to ambush Atobe in an instant. Constantly giving him their entire home cooked, homemade, personalized this and that to him.

"Get used to it. It's always like that." A capped boy said from behind Avery with grumpiness coating his words. She turned to the owner of the voice and studied him carefully. Beside the capped boy was the blue haired, four eyed, kansai teen.

A smile came upon Avery's face. "I think I should be the one telling you that. Considering that you have a grumpy expression and all." She said as she turned to face Atobe once again. A rain of compliments was heard.

"She got you there, Shishido." The kansai teen snorted.

Shishido gave a glare at the girl and was about to confront her for that, only to be stopped by Oshitari. "Oi let go of me, Oshitari! Let me teach that little… Atobe's girl a thing or two!"

Avery composed herself before turning to Shishido. Her brows furrowed and her lips were adorned by a frown. "Why is it that a lot of you call me little while I have an average height? And fine call me little, but," Shishido felt something hit his stomach, hard. "Calling me that brat's girl is unacceptable." Avery pointed her index finger at Atobe as she glared at Shishido.

Oshitari heaved a sigh. _I should have held the girl. _He thought.

_Does it make you happy, knowing that you are only known by the name you carry? _

_._

_._

_._

_Or is it that you don't feel that treatment at all?_

O~O~O

The pedestrian didn't help with the heavy traffic that afternoon. Some accident occurred in the middle of the road and the public workers were trying to remove the obstruction. A sigh escaped Avery's lips. She slouched on the seat and stared out the window. Huge buildings plus a sea of people isn't good scenery at all. She crossed her arms on her chest and tried looking at the other window. Scratch that, she only saw Atobe who had his arms crossed and his finger tapping on his elbow. At least both of them were not enjoying this.

"It's been a week since you're in Hyotei, right?" Atobe asked to blow the air of hostility away.

"Yeah." Avery sat straight and ran a hand on her skirt to remove those hateful wrinkles, and put her hands on her lap. She stared at her bandaged hand.

"How's Hyotei?" Atobe asked. "I should know, as the student council president, if Hyotei is giving you a good time."

Avery opened her mouth but found it difficult to speak. Then, she turned to Atobe and smiled. Her hands gripping her skirt tightly. "Hyotei is fine." She finally said before turning to the window. She stared at her faint reflection in the window. A small smile forming on her lips. Hyotei... just a week and she wanted to escape from the reality as always. She hated it. She hated everyone who gave her false respect. She hated everything in every day she was and will experience. Hyotei is the reason why she chose Rikkai...


	4. Tragic Punishment, Happy Complication

**I don't own PoT!**

**Hala~ Yeah, I this is the Avery I intended to have but this and that happen so Ballad of a Lost Soul had a different Ave. *cries*  
**

**Mistress of Madness~ The world is just full of people with twisted minds  
**

The attractive booths of vendor, the beautiful yukatas worn by most girls, the challenging games in different booths, the cute couples staying by the river to watch the upcoming fireworks display. Ah! The most awaited festival came at last! The beauty, the spirit of liveliness, the peaceful night in Japan shall be experienced yet again… sort of.

"Kids nowadays…" A middle aged woman muttered as she fanned the smoke from the grills towards the group of girls squealing and crowding in front of her stall. Of course, she wouldn't mind it if they bought her squids but they didn't. And worse, they are blocking her stall from the sight of potential customers, she hated it. She gave a disgusted look at the poor, pathetic girls in front of her stall.

"Two please." Then, she smiled upon hearing the sweet voice of a girl that came to her to buy her squids. The girl had her jet black hair freely flowing, a clip holding the left side of her bangs. She wore a white tee with the kanji of 'yukata' printed at the center, and a pair of blue jeans.

"Here you go sweety!" The woman said that sent a chill running down the girl's spine upon hearing the sweet pet name given to her. She had a feeling that the old vendor doesn't give everyone that name. "Seems like a little crowded there."

A small smile came upon the girl's lips."Not just a little." The woman chuckled. The girl said her thanks to the vendor and went to the opposite direction. Then, a glare changed her expression from before. Even the irritating scent of smoke didn't stop those girls from crowding in front of her stall. Then she was caught in a surprise when one of them actually took a desperate measure to get out of the crowd.

The girl had a short bluish black hair. She wore a grass green uniform, the uniform of Seishun Gakuen. She clutched her bag as she stood up and dusted her skirt. She turned to the direction where she came from. "Keigo, you jerk!" The girl shouted, luckily, they didn't hear her. "At least discipline your fangirls!" She kicked dust before stomping away. She fished for her phone in her pocket and made a quick call.

"Syuusuke? Where are you guys? In the fish catching booth with Eiji? Stay there. Forget that narcissistic cousin of mine. I'll see you guys then!" The girl gave the crowd one last glare and stuck her tongue out like a kid before running out of the area.

O~O~O

"How mean, Ave!" The red head exclaimed, puffing his cheeks as he pointed at the savoury goodness the two people in front of him were munching on. "You didn't even treat us!" He muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Avery took a bite on her squid. "You're not my kohai, right Akaya-kun?" She said before chewing the meat inside her mouth. She took a glance at the seaweed hair beside her and then looked back at Marui who was still sulking about not being treated.

Kirihara wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he opened his mouth to take a bite on his squid only to shut it when he heard the worried tone of his Jackal-senpai. "But are you sure it's fine, Asusagawa?"

"What about it being fine?" Kirihara intervened with the conversation, since he was confused at the moment. "Is Ave-senpai's parents that strict?" A small smile came upon Avery as she looked at Kirihara. She turned to Jackal and smiled sweetly.

"Oh yeah, things are different now that you are not living with buchou and his family." Marui put his hands behind his head and blinked. The three persons looked at Avery, eyes filled curiosity as they waited for her answer.

For that moment, somehow, the air had some weird aura. Kirihara gulped as he waited for an answer. "What are you guys worrying about? I can just call for whoever is available to fetch me." Avery's brows furrowed as she eyed the three. "I should be the one saying that, Jackal. You guys need a train ride before going home." A small smile came upon Marui's lips.

"Don't worry about it! We decided that we'll attend the festival for Yukimura!" Jackal smiled at his companion's reply to the girl. "Besides, if it weren't for us you would be in your room sulking or studying or doing something evil." Marui grinned.

"How mean!" Avery glared at Marui and tried getting her fist reach him only to be stopped by Jackal. "I'll tell Seiichi you've been bullying me!"

"I'm the one being bullied." Marui responded, his grin widening.

Kirihara opened his mouth to take a bite on his awaiting treat but only to shut it once again when he was flooded by a shadow of some tall man. "Mountain." The silver head said upon catching the attention of Kirihara.

"Mountain?" Kirihara asked, a little confused at the random statement. Niou nodded with a smile on his face. The poor younger boy didn't catch the mischief glistening in Niou's eyes that time. The silver head pointed at a random direction, in which Kirihara turned to. Kirihara turned his gaze back to his senpai only to discover that his squid had a bite on it. "Heh?!"

"Puri~" Niou simply muttered as he headed towards Avery who was amusedly staring at Kirihara. "You're not angry, right?" He asked as he patted the girl's head.

"Nope, it's Akaya-kun's fault at all." Niou chuckled upon hearing the expected answer coming from the girl. "But," Niou took a step back, barely dodging Avery's assault at him.

"Piyo~" Niou muttered when he confirmed that he had no injuries that were inflicted by the girl. Marui and Jackal gasped at the sight. It was the first time Niou dodged Avery's attacks. He learned well from the past.

"How could you trick Akaya-kun that I'm married? When somebody else heard this kid's big mouth, the legend about that tale shall become vivid!" Avery pointed her index finger at Kirihara.

"That's mean, senpai!" Kirihara said, hurt about the kid's big mouth comment.

"It was his fault for being so naïve." Niou responded, imitating Avery's way of coming clean.

"I guess it is his fault." Avery put her hands behind her and turned her back at Niou.

A smirk came upon the trickster's lips. "I'm forgiven, right?" Niou asked as he headed towards the girl's side.

A smile came upon the girl's lips and Niou suddenly fell on his knees, clutching on his abdomen. "Nope." Avery hummed before leaving Niou behind.

O~O~O

The kids gathered near the stage where they have a good view of a clown showing his antics and tricks to the kids. And he attracted not only kids, there were also some teenagers and adults, most were a couple on a date.

"Rin-chan! Hurry up!" A little boy shouted as he ran towards the benches.

"Nii-san!" The girl stopped and took some time to catch her breath and then headed to her brother afterwards.

Ah the peaceful sum-

"Don't be so gloomy Atobe." Mukahi said with a grin on his face. He raised his arms in defeat when Atobe gave him a glare as a respond.

"You expect ore-sama to be enjoying a kid's show?" Atobe rolled his eyes and the childishness of his teammate. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and sighed. Oshitari gave a weak smile, knowing too well the roots of Atobe's frustration… his cousin.

"Where is Seishun-san, Atobe?" And there, Atobe's brow twitched. Oshitari just knew how to make his mood worse.

"She said she's in the target shooting booth." Atobe hid his irritation. Seriously, he is not a babysitter, he's, well, the great Atobe Keigo! Fuji is more suitable for that role, since he was the girl's childhood friend and all. And besides, they live next to each other so there's no need to oblige him into babysitting her.

"I'm here, Keigo!" An annoyed tone came from behind Atobe. He faced the girl with a glare.

"Good for you to think about your family member for once, Tomoyo." The said girl rolled her eyes as she put a hand on her hip while the other hand was clutching on a stuffed toy, her prize maybe.

"Good for you to be worried about someone other than yourself, Keigo." Oshitari sighed. His cat and dog back in his hometown were more peaceful than these two far more intellectual beings. Sure they're cousins and they may fight occasionally but these two are only getting along well, occasionally. He sighed yet again. Another fight between their egos erupted. Yeah, they sure are cousins.

"What a nice festival, ne?" A certain tensai said with a smile on his face. He always had one on and will only turn that smile upside down, occasionally. The blue haired teen didn't know whether it was sarcasm or simply a statement but he gave nod in response.

"I guess." Oshitari said with a chuckle. He may be thinking the irony of the statement, looking at Atobe's face.

Atobe looked around the area. Thanks to Mukahi's childishness plus Tomoyo's persistence, they were surrounded with elementary kids. He pinched the bridge of his nose. _Great! Just great!_ He thought as he stifled a sigh. Then, his eyes stopped on the back part, where the lights were dim. Even so, he could clearly say that the people approaching them were Rikkai Dai students.

"Ave-senpai! Look over there!" A seaweed haired second year pointed at the stage. "There's a clown show!" Atobe stood up which caught Tomoyo's attention.

"Hey, Keigo sit down and- Oi where are you going?" Atobe walked towards the dimly lit area near the last bench.

"C-Clown?" Avery shivered upon hearing the word. She embraced herself protectively. As if the word is a taboo, like Voldemort's name.

Marui turned Avery to a random direction, away from the stage. "It's fine Ave, nothing to worry about. Forget what Kirihara said." He exclaimed coating his words with liveliness.

Atobe raised a brow. His smirk widened. _She's afraid of clowns, eh?_

"Heh? What's wrong senpai? Could it be that you're-" Jackal covered Kirihara's mouth. The succeeding words came out as a muffled sound. A sigh escaped Jackal's lips.

"Oi oi, don't tell it to her." Jackal reprimanded. "It's like teasing her in a way, and you wouldn't like that."

Kirihara managed to get out of Jackal's restraint. He gulped in a huge amount of air and looked senpais. "But how come you guys didn't tell me about it?" Jackal heaved another sigh and silently walked towards Marui and Avery, completely ignoring Kirihara. The confused second year turned to the only senpai available at the moment, his Niou-senpai. "Niou-senpai?"

The silver head turned his back at the second year and looked at the sky. "The sakuras are so pretty, right?" Niou simply answered as he put his hands inside his pocket.

"Sakura?" Kirihara looked around and saw no signs of sakuras. It is the start of a new season and-

"Even Niou senpai escaped my question!" Kirihara exclaimed.

"It's a surprise that you're here, Asusagawa." A husky voice said, giving the girl a smug look. The certain purple haired teen silenced the Rikkai regulars. Oshitari followed Atobe since his eyes caught something interesting and well, he got bored watching a children's show.

"Oh, Atobe!" Avery gave a wave at the man.

"Woah! It's the narcissist that defeated Seigaku's captain!" Kirihara pointed at Atobe in which he was unpleased.

"Didn't anyone teach you that it's rude to point, brat?" Oshitari sighed at Atobe's issue. This may lead to something drastic, but it was the boy's fault.

"Who you calling brat?! Want to play a match against me?" A smirk came upon Atobe's lips. He wanted to challenge the Atobe Keigo eh?

"Stop it, Kirihara!" A familiar voice made the addressed second year flinched. He can't be mistaken, the owner of that voice is someone he can't handle. He gulped.

"Sanada fukubuchou?!" The stern looking man came from behind. Marui and Jackal walked towards Kirihara. "Eh?"

Sanada nodded at Atobe whose smirk widened. "I'm sorry for the foolish behaviour of my teammate, Atobe."

Atobe chuckled. "Seems like you still need to discipline that seaweed hair, Sanada."

"What did you-" Kirihara was held back by Jackal, again. "Senpai, let go off me!" He struggled only to fail.

"Stop it Kirihara! Yukimura wouldn't want you involving in fights!" Jackal reprimanded which was able to successfully discipline the second year.

A sigh escaped Kirihara's lips. "That's enough, Akaya-kun. Besides you'll just end up crying like a child after your match with him."

Kirihara gasped upon hearing those words coming from the senpai that showed him kindness. "Ave-senpai, not you too!" A small smile was the girl's response.

"It's true, right Yanagi?" Avery asked the master beside her.

Yanagi nodded. "That's a hundred percent chance." And Kirihara felt betrayed by his senpais for the first time in his middle school life.

"Wait a second, Ave! Is this guy treating you well?" Marui pointed at Atobe with a glare fixed on him. Men do envy the great Atobe Keigo.

"Bunta-kun, he just said that it is rude to point, right?" Avery said with an amused grin on her face.

"Treating well? What does Marui senpai mean?" Kirihara, being him, as usual didn't get it at first.

"You still didn't know?" Jackal asked, quite surprised. But it is Kirihara after all.

"It's a ninety percent possibility that Avery shall be married to that man." And Kirihara tried processing the information Yanagi gave.

"Heh?!" Marui sighed at his kohai's lack of information.

"Puri~" Niou simply said to the arising matter.

From the benches, a certain brunette looked at the group of known persons who seemed to be gathered in the poorly lit area. His face brightened up when he saw someone familiar approaching. "Yuuta!" He said as he stood up.

"Syuusuke?" Tomoyo followed the tensai to his destination.

"Aniki?" The other brunette, wearing a St. Rudolf uniform blinked at the unexpected meeting. And before he could say anything else, his black haired senpai blocked his view of his brother.

"Fuji, what a coincidence!" Mizuki said as he flipped his hair.

"You're stalking him." Tomoyo bluntly stated but was ignored by Mizuki.

"Ne, Tomo-chan, Yuuta, look, the Rikkai Dai tennis regulars are here." Mizuki found Fuji in another area, blatantly ignoring him.

"Rikkai?" Tomoyo abruptly turned her gaze away from Fuji and stared at the Rikkai regulars. "Why are they here?" She asked to no one in particular. Her mouth gaped open at the sight. _With her, even?_

Those red eyes that Tomoyo found bizarre finally met with hers. At first, she thought that she was wearing contact lenses but then again, it was a real deal. They were stuck in a staring contest for a while. Then, she realised… she hated those eyes. She went beside Keigo.

"Let's go." Sanada simply said to his team in which they followed. The only girl in the group was dragged pulled by Marui since she has a habit of spacing out in the bad times. It was always like that.

"I've heard your captain is in the hospital." They stopped. Even the girl who seemed to be out of reality returned. Kirihara gave a glare at the man who said those things. Tomoyo sighed. He just doesn't know his limits.

Marui and the others didn't spare Mizuki from the treatment. Avery sighed as she looked at the faces of her cousin's friends. She faced the poor, unfortunate lamb who tried to provoke the 'emperor.' Then, she flinched upon seeing Mizuki.

"Clown!" Avery shouted as she ran towards Sanada and hid behind him.

Atobe wasn't spare by the shock she caused everyone. As usual, Fuji smiled.

Mizuki's eye twitched. "This little-"

"For his sake, Kirihara, get him away from Ave!" Marui said as he pointed at Mizuki.

"Puri~" Niou gave one last glance at the group and then pulled Avery out of the area.

Yanagi smiled and followed the two. The other Rikkai regulars followed afterwards, leaving the other group bewildered.

Tomoyo's laugh resounded. She laughed so hard that Mizuki was irritated. "She called Mizuki a clown!" Now, Tomoyo liked the girl. They might actually get along well.

O~O~O

A smile formed on Tomoyo's lips. Atobe glanced at her, and then looked out the window. "What's so funny?" He asked.

"Nothing, it's just that she's kind of interesting, that Asusagawa. Right Syuusuke?" Tomoyo turned to the brunette beside her.

"The girl that ore-sama met in Kanagawa," Atobe unexpectedly said, catching Fuji and Tomoyo's attention. The two looked at each other and then to Atobe. "She's her."

Tomoyo blinked and then laughed. "The one that you'd been making a fuss about last year was her?" She stifled another round of laugh that was about to erupt. "So, somehow you like her?"

Atobe gave a glare. "Ore-sama didn't say ore-sama like her. It's just that she's-"

"Someone who cannot simply bow down and be awed by your prowess." Tomoyo cut him off. Atobe's eye twitched at his cousin's reply. Tomoyo was messing with him, again!

"Tomo-chan, stop it." Fuji said, trying to sooth the atmosphere. "Saa, Atobe-san, please forgive her."

Atobe simply looked away, crossing his arms. Tomoyo laughed loudly and in a not so girly way. He gave a glare. Fuji sighed. Well, at least Atobe didn't kick them out of his limousine yet.

O~O~O

"Ave returned!" A lady with long straight burgundy hair came running down the stairs and engulfed the girl who just arrived in a bear hug. Her hazel eyes looked at the shorter girl with loving eyes. "How's your day? Did you go out with your friends in the festival?" She asked as she caressed Avery's waist length silky black hair.

"I just visited Seiichi in the hospital. His friends invited me to go to the festival so I tagged along with them for a while." Just remembering the 'clown' that she saw in the festival made her heart beat faster. She heaved a sigh, calming herself. No, she cannot show weakness to anyone now. Not to her, even. "That aside Lianne nee-chan, you're surprisingly-"

"Avery, how many times do I have to remind you in your way of addressing your older sister?" From the stairs, Avery's mother descended. Just like a fine European woman, she wore quite an exquisite Victorian style dress. She looked dazzling and her looks can even deceive one from her age. In fact, when she went beside Lianne, they looked a lot like sisters than mother-daughter. "How's Seiichi-kun?"

Avery's gaze separated from the two people in front of her. She looked aside, her red eyes staring at the marble floor. "He seemed to be better now than before, mama." She answered.

"Sei-kun will be just fine. He's Sei-kun after all." A smile formed on Avery's lips. Lianne smiled sweetly in return.

"Those aside, have you eaten yet, dear Lianne?" Amber led her eldest daughter to the dining hall. "I'm sure you are hungry after a day's work in the hospital. I cooked your favorite meal." Avery heard the worried tone of her mother. She wanted to hear that too, but she may have disappointed them that she cannot even feel the warmth they give to Lianne. But just watching them, a smile came upon her lips.

Avery climbed the flight of stairs and headed to her room, shutting the door close like she always does. A sigh escaped her lips. She leaned against the door, sliding down until she reached the carpeted floor. She hugged her knees. Her lips quivered. She tried to calm herself by breathing in and out.

"Won't we call for Ave?" Lianne asked after their meal was blessed.

Her mother grabbed the knife and the fork lying beside her plate. "She probably has eaten in the festival. She should have come here if she's hungry, but she didn't." A sigh escaped Amber's lips. "Frankly, I can't understand that girl. She's been giving your father and I a lot of headaches. Thankfully, you weren't like that during your teenage years, Lianne." Lianne watched her mother sliced her meat and ate it.

"Maybe she's not that bad. I'm sure there's a reason she's doing that. Being the heir of the company is a lot of pressure, mama." Lianne said in Avery's defence.

"Nonsense! She should be thankful for that. We are preparing a bright future ahead of her." A smile came upon Lianne's lips. It sure is hard to argue with their parents. Thankfully, unlike other teenage girls, Avery didn't rebel against them. And she did not run away when she was with the Yukimura's, it was their parents' decision that she stay there for the time being.

O~O~O

"Ave, you worry about Sei-kun too much!" Lianne laughed as they walked out of the church. A long white shiny limousine waited for them. A butler opened the back door for the head of the family and his wife. "You go in first, Ave." Avery nodded and scooted over. Lianne followed afterwards.

"Where are we going next, papa?" Lianne asked with her sweet voice.

"We were invited for lunch by the Atobe's. We agreed to meet in the usual." Their father answered with a smile.

"Atobe? Ave's future husband, right?" Lianne asked as she turned to the girl.

Avery suddenly returned to reality. She remained silent, trying her best not to give her sister a glare. She clenched her fists as she turned to the window, trying to find serenity in the shifting surroundings. "Yes, her fiancée's parents invited us for lunch." Her mother answered for her. Avery bit her lip.

_Wait a second, he saw that last night! This is bad! He might laugh at me! _Avery's mind was in a state of panic that she ignored the conversation of Lianne and her parents. _This is bad! This is very bad! This is absolutely tremendously very bad!_ She thought. Then, Avery realised… this is bad Atobe will see her wearing some skirt other than her school uniform!

O~O~O

"Just in time!" Keichi, Keigo's father stood up to greet their friends.

"Oh my, Lianne is with them!" Keigo's mother stood up, her trimmed blonde hair following her movements. She, like Amber, wore some European style dress. And Keigo also stood up to show his courtesies.

Atobe smirked, his eyes searching for Avery. Then that smirk vanished. Keigo's parents were preoccupied with Avery's parents, the two daughters were beside them, having a nice conversation. Keigo stared at Avery with awe. He normally sees Avery wearing their uniform, her hair neatly combed and freely flowing, or she normally wears a loose tee and a pair of jeans. But looking at her now, she was different. And somehow he was mesmerized. She wore a light blue tube dress with a white long sleeved vest, covering her arms. She wore a two inched high heel white strapped wedge. And when she realized that Atobe was looking at her, she hid behind her sister.

"How cute!" Lianne said before stepping aside and pushing her sister in oblivion front of Atobe. Avery looked aside hiding her cheeks from him. Which failed since her hair was parted at the center into braids and secured in a bun at the lower back and adorned with a golden black band. She looked well, beautiful.

"What?" Avery asked with a grumpy tone. She hated it. A normal tee and a pair of jeans would do, but her mother insisted that she wear something more presentable.

Keigo was brought back to reality. He cleared his throat. "Nothing, it's just ore-sama thought you are a different person."

Avery clenched her fists, resisting the urge to punch the man. "Look," She calmed herself. "I may look like a fine lady today but I am still the girl who will refuse to bow down to you." She whispered as a smirk came upon her face. "What is wrong with you men and looks?"

"Avery!" Then, Avery gasped. She turned to her mother who had a stern looking face. A sign of bad luck for her. "Forgive the insolence of my daughter, Keigo-kun." Avery turned away with a slight grump.

"It's all right, ma'am." Atobe smirked, giving a knowing glance at Avery. "Shall she make up her loss by giving ore-sama a tour in this place after lunch?"

Avery opened her mouth to protest but shut it when she saw the glare her mother gave her. "She would love to."

And the day couldn't get any better!

O~O~O

"You should be thankful to ore-sama." Atobe said as they walked in the mall's veranda. Avery bit her lower lip, making sure not to bluntly state anything more. "Ore-sama saved you a while ago."

"I did not ask for your help." Avery muttered in which she let Atobe purposely hear.

A smirk came upon Atobe's lips. "Ho? What did ore-sama hear?"

"Nothing, Atobe! I said I don't need your help!" Avery said, as she walked ahead the man.

"So stubborn… That's why you are in trouble always." Atobe expected her to throw a feat and leave him there. Then, he would have the upper hand. But his mouth gaped open when he saw that she simply turned around and smiled.

"Yeah, I get that a lot." Atobe's eyes widened in surprise. Such an interesting girl! He ran a hand on his hair and smirked.

_What is happening to ore-sama?_ He asked with a chuckle.


	5. Tragic Vacation, Happy Challenge

**Thank you to those who subscribed and put this story in their list of favorites. Of course, thank you for those who reviewed. Sorry, I cannot reply, my laptop is not cooperating with me. Hope you'll enjoy this chapter. Please review!**

**I do not own PoT.  
**

Avery entered school early. Very early. The corridors were still void of people. Even teachers weren't that early in going to school. The reason? First, her sister went on a ten day leave; second, she doesn't want to be the eyesore in the dining hall and; third, she wanted some nice and peaceful surroundings even for a limited amount of time.

She stopped on her tracks. The memory of the black haired clown, smiling as the light flickered during the festival came to her. '_Damn imagination.'_ She thought as she took a reluctant step forward. '_At this time of the day, there should be no clown loitering in the campus. But, what about the seven horrible mysteries of the school?' _ She took a step back, sighing.

The door beside her slid open, much to Avery's shock. She flinched and turned to the said door. A bead of cold sweat trickling down her forehead in the process. "Ahn? Asusagawa, huh?" Her eye twitched upon seeing the owner of the husky voice. His smirk on his face, his silky hair, his tear mole, everything about him is just… dreadful.

"A-Atobe?" Avery pointed her index finger at him. "Why are you here?!"

Atobe raised a brow. "Why Asusagawa?" His smirk widened as he raked a hand on his purple locks. "Are you stalking ore-sama?"

Avery's brows furrowed. "As a gentleman, you should answer my question first!" She said as if she knows everything about etiquette. "And no, I am not a stalker." She answered nonetheless. She clutched her bag tightly, her mind still on the black haired clown. The hair on her arms rose at their ends.

"If you wanted to see ore-sama so badly, you should have waited for me at your mansion. Ore-sama is about to go there, you know." Avery's eyes widened. "Since you're here, ore-sama shall get you in the classroom." Atobe stopped when he realized no one was following her. "Is something wrong?"

"Are you this early in going to school and then go to my house?" Avery asked.

"That's only natural. Ore-sama wouldn't want you to-"

"Stop doing it." She ordered much to Atobe's surprise. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at him. Her intense gaze met with his. It was as if a hawk was staring at its prey.

"What was that?" It has been a long time since Atobe was challenged by someone. Usually, it would be him who would challenge. And now, he is being challenged, by a girl even!

"I said stop it." Avery repeated with a much more emphasis on the word 'stop.' "I have my own two feet to walk me to school, if not, I have my chauffer or my butler, if not I can crawl if that's what it takes just to go to school." The smirk on Atobe's face vanished. He was being challenged by the same girl, again! "I believe you heard me, right?" She added.

She dare challenge Atobe Keigo? The Atobe Keigo? Of all people in this world? "Yes, yes, ore-sama heard you just fine." Avery nodded. She walked pass Atobe and headed to the classroom. "Wait, ore-sama is not yet done talking to you!" He caught up with the girl, grabbing her wrist in the process.

"What's wrong?" Avery scowled. She asked as if she didn't do a single thing. Atobe's lips pursed.

"Ore-sama told you that a simple gesture like that is not a problem." Atobe insisted.

Avery blinked. Her mouth slightly gaped open and then she shut it close. A sigh escaped her lips. "Atobe, since when are you addressing yourself as ore-sama?" Atobe blinked. The girl is just simply unpredictable! First, she coldly orders him to stop his deeds of being a gentleman, and now she's asking a question. Unbelievable!

"Since ore-sama took my first step here in Japan." Nonetheless, even though the question is irritating and popped out of nowhere, he answered.

"So, if you're in England you address yourself as 'the great I' or 'the great me'?" Avery replied, tilting her head. She stopped struggling to free her wrist from his grasps since it would all be just a waste of energy.

Atobe rolled his eyes. This is just becoming ridiculous. "Why do you want to know?" He asked, irritated in the situation he was in.

"It's your choice if you want to answer or not." Avery mumbled. "If you are irritated, then don't answer." She said with a glare. "It's just that…" She trailed off, realizing that it was not really nice to let her tongue outdo her, again.

"Just what?" Atobe pried. He let go of her wrist.

"Nothing, just drop it." Atobe blinked, yet again. "Heh? The student council room has a comfy couch, eh?" Now, she's inspecting the student council room.

Atobe caught himself smiling… he was smiling! Not smirking. '_What is wrong with ore-sama?'_ A hand raked through his silky locks. He followed Avery to the student council room, a smirk replacing his smile. "It's only proper for ore-sama to have a couch. Ore-sama also needs some rest."

"What a self-centered explanation!" Avery closed her mouth, realizing that she said it out loud, yet again. She chuckled upon seeing Atobe's glare. "Fine, I'm sorry. I was just messing with you." She raised her arms in defeat. She hurled herself in the comfy couch. Atobe raised a brow.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Sitting." Avery scoot over, patting the empty part beside her. "Want to sit too?" Atobe knew that it was a trap. Following her invitation was a big mistake but he wanted to see her next move. He did sit beside her and he looked at her with bewilderment.

"Asusagawa, what are you planning to do?" Atobe asked.

Avery blinked. "You saw the clown in the festival too, right?"

"Oh, Mizuki?" Atobe chuckled.

Avery giggled. "That's nice. You are not smirking nor glaring at me." She said with a smile. "Can you tell me?" Atobe's smirk widened. She forgot her issue about Mizuki after seeing him chuckle about it.

"Tell you what?" Atobe asked.

"The seven horrible mysteries of Hyotei Gakuen." And with that, Atobe laughed.

O~O~O

_At least a clown or a doll is not included in those seven mysteries. _Avery thought as she heaved a sigh. She heard a chuckle came from someone standing beside her. She raised a brow as she stared at him. She went ahead to her seat, ignoring the man whom she left behind. Bewilderment overwhelmed her as she looked around the people muttering inaudible things.

They were looking at her with prying eyes, glancing at each other, and then whispering among their own groups. It's always been like this. Her social status is a blessing and at the same time, a curse. There's just some sort of aura that makes her the center of attraction, and at the same time controversy. Everyone who is born from her family is like that, however, the higher the building is, the more eyes on it.

She shrugged the murmuring off and gazed at the garden near the building. A gardener with his straw hat and long sleeved white blouse, as usual was very enthusiastic in pruning the row of camellias. His mouth would open and close, as if he was talking to the plants. Avery watched the old man do his job with a smile on her lips.

Atobe sat on his chair. Second column, first row. Typical for his liking. The center of attraction… always. His eyes trailed off to the second row, first column, near the window. He could see the girl's silky jet black hair cascading on her back. A smirk came upon his lips. For him, humans are like books. They can be easily read. Once you understood the plot, the outcome will be predictable. But for Atobe, Avery is like a book that mysteriously came upon his hands, luring him to discover the secrets hidden in those coded calligraphies, only to discover that those calligraphies are a mixed of hieroglyphics, charlmagne letters, Mayan, Hindi, Kanji, Roman and et cetera. She's just unpredictable! Like a puzzle that changes without even a certain pattern.

"What a weird girl!" Atobe muttered as he ran a hand through his silky hair.

Avery turned back to the classroom. It felt like someone was watching her from behind. Her gaze met with a certain king who had a smirk on his face as he stared back at her. She blinked, still not tearing her gaze away from him. Then, he looked away, first. _'Somehow, everyone is acting weird.'_ She thought.

O~O~O

Atobe was pissed. He was the first one to look away from the eye contact he and Avery had just before the bell rang and the teacher entered. To make it worse, he was called by the principal to prepare the covered court. And to make it worst, it was for someone so special that classes had to be suspended in the afternoon. No one is more special than him.

The teachers were even hyped up about this guest. Sure, it was the school's founder birthday and all, but it doesn't mean that they should prepare something like this for the guest speaker of the day. They kept on bragging how she was this and that. They even eyed Atobe and said that he was _almost_ like her. _Almost!_ He was pissed because they compared his greatness to a girl! Just who is this _oh so great_ girl for them to put Atobe aside?

He turned the knob of the door leading to the rooftop.

"I just want them to see that they don't own me." A familiar voice caught his attention. Atobe opened the door ajar, and peeked. He listened intently. "I don't know, but one thing is for sure, I won't accept what they did to me. This engagement." She responded to the person in the other line.

Atobe's mouth gaped open. It was Avery all along. "Well, if he was here, then he'd definitely refuse that. Even if he was a useless mentor, I know that he cares for his students." She snapped. "I'm just their daughter but they don't own my life." A pause and then, "It's you who can't understand at all!" She hung up when she saw Atobe approaching.

"Asusagawa, what are you doing here?" Atobe asked with his smirk on. "You are arguing with someone over the phone." He added and sat beside her.

A smile came on her lips. "It's not arguing, it's a conversation with high toned voices." Avery said and chuckled. "Did you hear it?"

"Just your voice." Atobe's instinct kicked in. He knew girls and being sensitive.

"Liar." Avery muttered, much to Atobe's confusion. She did not glare at him, surprisingly. But she stared at him with a frown on her lips.

"Do you hate ore-sama that much?" Atobe asked abruptly gazing at the cloud's shadows. He didn't understand it too, but somehow, he had this heavy feeling inside his chest that he can't quite figure out.

"Hate is a heavy word, Atobe. I don't hate you, just irritated." Atobe turned to her, a smirk about to form on his lips for he was relieved by the girl's answer but it didn't even take a second for it to reach those lips. "It's my parents that I hate." Atobe's eyes widened. He turned to the girl who gave a smile. A fake smile. A sad smile.

"Why?" Atobe chuckled. "Was it because of them being late on those special days because of traffic? Or was it because of throwing a party that you don't want for your birthday? Or them just treating you in a restaurant on your birthday?" He asked with a smirk.

"Are you angry with that?" Avery returned the question to him. She blinked as she waited for Atobe's answer. "Do they do that to you?" She added.

"Sometimes. Ore-sama would really hate it when they are late in special events because of work. They'd end up having a grand entrance." Atobe chuckled quite amused with the memory of those times playing back in his head. "Ore-sama asked you a question first, Asusagawa." He was waiting for the girl's answer.

"Somehow, if they do those things, I think I might not hate them." Avery chuckled darkly. She turned to Atobe, without her stare this time. Just a plain smile on her lips.

"They try so hard sometimes." Atobe muttered, amusement evident in his tone. "But it shows that they care. You can feel it, too, right? Someone like you who could read in through people." He smirked.

The smile vanished on Avery's lips. She embraced her knees tightly, leaning her head against her knees. "No." She answered without hesitation. Atobe searched for any sign of lie, distrust in those words, but all he could see was honesty.

"Why is that, ahn?" Atobe asked, his voice a mixture of confusion and amusement. He chuckled inwardly. _Ore-sama cannot understand this girl._ He thought as she looked at her.

Avery licked her chapped lips before answering. She clenched her fist, not even knowing the reason why she didn't put up a façade. Then, before she knew it, her smile that made her look so pure and at the same time intimidating was not present. "Because they don't try. They won't go to those special events unless I've met their expectations. Sometimes, they even forget my birthday and they won't make up for their loss. At times, they will forget or will not go to events that I needed them most because they find it insignificant." A small smile formed on her lips. "It's always Lianne." She added, abruptly turning to the fluffy white clouds in the sky.

For that moment, Atobe stared at her. His mouth slightly open. Did she just tell him something that she doesn't share anyone? The summer breeze caressed his exposed arms, his silky hair following with the current. Silence stayed with them for a couple of minutes.

"Atobe, do you want this set-up?" Avery asked, breaking the deafening silence between them. "This engagement, I mean."

"Learning to love someone is easy, you know." As always, she covered her mixed emotions with a smile. If Atobe's answer is true, then why is it hard for her to accept it? "Don't you want this set-up?" It was Atobe's turn to ask.

Avery clenched her fist. "I am like some sort of possession to them. This engagement is my way of paying my losses to them."

"Then if this isn't about paying your loss, will you break it?" Atobe asked.

"Will you be angry at me if I say yes?" Avery asked with a smile on her face. Atobe remained silent. He just stared at the girl.

"No." Atobe answered finally.

"Liar." Avery chuckled.

"No, ore-sama is not. Because ore-sama will make you love me." Atobe confidently said. His smirk didn't vanish on his face.

"That will be a challenge for you, Atobe Keigo."

"Then I accept that challenge, Asusagawa Avery."

**O~O~O**

_**Can you remember that day, Keigo? The day when you accepted my challenge?**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**Since then, we're fairly in good terms. **_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**It's selfish of me to think about this, but, I want those times to come back.**_

**O~O~O**

Atobe wasn't one to be irritated in things like sitting with the audience and waiting patiently for the guest speaker to arrive, but, this time was different. In normal cases, he wouldn't mind but the teachers compared him to someone. He couldn't stand that.

"What's wrong, Atobe." Oshitari, as usual, read the atmosphere. The thick tension building up whenever he was near Atobe was up again. "I heard who this person is." His smirk widened when Atobe's attention was caught. He knew it too well. "The rumors around school are all about you and her, you know?"

Atobe felt his face heat up. He's angry alright. "What kinds of rumors are those, Yushi?"

Considering Atobe's glare towards Oshitari and Atobe's irritated tone, Oshitari finally thought it was a bad idea. But he couldn't escape it now. "Who is greater between the two of you? Some say it is her, while they say it is you. But the teachers say her. " Oshitari chuckled. "Even the teachers are part of this, it's surprising isn't it?"

Atobe composed himself. His brows furrowed as he crossed his arms and his legs, waiting patiently for the program to start. "Who is this girl anyway? Can't they see that ore-sama is the best student they can have?" Oshitari chuckled in amusement.

The important persons finally arrived. The students turned to the spot light, following the teachers, the founder's family member, the guest speaker, and other important persons for this event. Every year, Hyotei Gakuen does this to celebrate their founder's birthday. Some would whine that they shouldn't have classes at all. But, the administration is still in command. The familiar faces were seen. Every year, the students, at least most of them, were waiting for the appearance of the guest speaker. He was always someone important and an alumnus.

"There she is Atobe." Oshitari said with a smirk grazing his lips.

Atobe's eyes widened. A round of murmurs came upon the students and old teachers alike. The guest speaker was so familiar to him. He looked around and spotted a person who shared the same shock as he got. A smirk came upon his lips. '_She didn't know too, huh?'_ He thought and turned his gaze back to the stage.

Avery sat by the last column of the row. She saw Atobe intently looked at her before turning to the stage. She shrugged the irritating smirk off her mind and focused her attention to the stage. She was gasping at the sight of her sister, properly dressed standing in front of everyone just beside the founder's great grandson. She gritted her teeth.

_I wanted to spend my time with my little sister that's why I went on a leave._ Those words echoed in Avery's head as if they were said just to make her feel happy. As if it was a lie.

As the program goes by, Avery didn't tear her gaze away from the red head sitting in front. She rested her clenched fist on her lap as she waited for the honoured guest speaker to stand and make her speech. When the allotted time for the guest speaker arrived, Lianne stood up. Some of the teachers in front bragged that she became their student. The students around them murmured, whispering tons of information and taking a glance at the stage and to some particular students.

Lianne's slender figure was hugged by her ruffled velvet dress. Her cream blazer complimented her fair complexion. With a little make-up applied, her true age was concealed. A sweet smile made her more desirable. She grabbed the microphone from the stand and started her greeting. Everyone, even Jirou who just woke up from his slumber, intently looked at her as inspiring words resounded in the hall.

"This day is something worth remembering every year of our lives. I wouldn't reach all of my dreams without this person. I was so happy being invited by our superintendent that I immediately filed my leave just to attend to this event. We-" Lianne closed her mouth when she spotted someone from the audience, a huge grin coming on her lips. "Oh my, Avery, I'm glad you're watching your onee-chan!" Luckily, the audience area weren't that well lit, unlike the lighting in the stage. The students struggled, looking for the person Lianne just addressed. Lianne cleared her throat and continued with her speech.

Avery felt her cheeks heat up. She slouched on her chair, hoping to dismiss those prying eyes searching for her._ Now, they all know that I am the little sister of this great student. What a joke! She told me that she'd filed her leave just to spend time with me._ Lianne once again caught everyone's heart. It was as if she put everyone on a spell. They are laughing on some statement that she said, but of course, Avery wasn't listening. She rose from her seat and headed out of the hall.

Atobe wasn't amused with what was happening at all. "Quite influencial, don't you think, Atobe?" Oshitari asked, as if making his mood worse. Atobe rose from his seat. A smirk came upon the tensai's lips. "What's wrong Atobe? Can't accept the fact that someone can be higher than you?"

Atobe stopped on his tracks at Oshitari's words. He turned to the tensai with a glare. Their gazes met. If one would notice the two, they would see the cold atmosphere surrounding them, but luckily they are occupied in their own worlds. "Ore-sama just needs some air." Atobe simply said, abruptly turning around and heading for the exit.

**O~O~O**

_**Na, Avery, can you remember the day when you said you hated that habit of mine?**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**Since then, you are only given this kind of treatment.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**Even now, that, things are different from before. **_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**But these are for your sake…and for my selfish desire to see that unfading smile.**_

**O~O~O**

The warm summer breeze blew gently. Avery's silky hair was flowing with the current, as if they were waves. The door leading to the rooftop suddenly opened, which was ignored by Avery.

"Asusagawa, ore-sama knew it." Atobe smirked, masking his irritation. He went beside Avery who stood behind the wired fence. "Were you embarrassed by what your sister did?" He asked, his smirk widening.

"You know, you are losing the challenge." Avery answered, returning Atobe's smirk with a small smile. "You are making me hate you." She chuckled, a little amused waiting for the reaction she can get.

"Ore-sama cannot be hated by anyone. Even by you, Asusagawa." A frown replaced her smile. Atobe's smirk widened, waiting for the reaction the girl would give but she remained silent.

"Somehow, I hate it." Avery mumbled, her bangs covering her eyes. Atobe blinked. "Thinking that you are greater than anyone else, it's… despicable." She added and Atobe could hear it clearly. She stared at him, hurt evident in those red eyes. Her pursed lips, her eyes, everything made an impact. "I am in no position to complain now, am I?" She returned her smile. "Because I am really only someone who tries but is outshined by people."

Atobe's eyes widened. It occurred to him. The eyes of the people around her, the whispers, the glance, everything! It has been affecting her. Being the second child and all. With all of her sister's achievement, she was… Avery felt below her. She's pressured. And she hated it. Who wouldn't? If Atobe was compared once to her, then how much more to someone who is being compared to her sister every day?

For the first time, Atobe was speechless. He didn't know how to respond to that. Avery turned her back at him, raising her head, gazing at the sky above. Atobe pulled his hand back, not even knowing why he hesitated.


	6. Tragic Gesture, Happy Visit

**Oh yeah, I'm trying my best to update since I only have six days to go before classes start. But anyway, I hope you guys will love this chapter. Oh yeah, review my lovelies! I want to know what you guys think! My sincere gratitude to those who reviewed, followed, and added this story to their list of favourites. I'm also happy to see that those who read BLS are also reading this.**

**I don't own PoT.**

Atobe came to the tennis courts. The members were doing their assigned training program, picking of the yellow balls by the first years, included. Oshitari came from behind Atobe, a brow raised. "It seems that you're in a good mood today, Atobe." He remarked.

Atobe's smirk widened, making Oshitari's suspicion into a reality. "Of course, Yushi." Oshitari eyed Atobe for a while before examining the strings of his racket.

And Oshitari was perplexed. Atobe headed to the court, challenging Jirou, his smirk remained on his face. He was really in a good mood. Oshitari caught something interesting that made him thought on not going in the courts, yet. "She's…"A pause, and then, "Atobe." He called to the person who was examining his racket from the courts.

Atobe turned to Oshitari who glanced at the gate. A smirk came to him when his eyes spotted a black haired girl approaching. Her red eyes complimented her glare as she stamped towards the court where he was. She held a bouquet of yellow carnation, in which he was pleased considering that it is a language of adoration, love, respect and admiration, or so he thought, since he doesn't know much of the flower meanings, unlike his cousin. "Stop harassing my shoe locker!" The girl snapped.

Everyone stared at this scene with a gasp. Well, most of them at least. They stopped what they were doing and didn't let any chance to miss this once in a lifetime event. The first years dropped the collected balls, a mix of curiosity and surprise evident in their faces. Atobe's smirk widened. "What's wrong, Asusagawa?" He asked as if he didn't do anything horrible, in fact he didn't.

"Stop harassing my shoe locker by filling it with clovers!" Avery repeated.

Oshitari chuckled. _Clovers, huh?_ He thought, a glint of mischief forming in his eyes.

"Clovers?" Shishido asked, getting a closer view of what was happening. "Why would Atobe give her a clover?"

"Be mine, that's the flower's meaning, senpai." Ohtori answered Shishido's question.

"Heh? Atobe is into courting?" Mukahi scoffed. He resisted his urge to laugh or he might be destined to have a hundred or a thousand laps if the fate known as Atobe, willed.

"Flowers are part of the blossoming romance." Atobe proudly said, sending Avery in a daze.

"What blossoming romance?!" Avery threw the bouquet at Atobe who caught it before the thing landed on his face. Oh his most treasured face by his fangirls. Tsk tsk, everyone will be after the girl's head if something drastic happened to that most beautiful face God has ever created. Avery heaved a heavy sigh as she clenched and unclenched her fist. "I hope that's an enough response to those clovers." She turned around and headed outside the tennis courts. She passed by the wired fence, Atobe's gaze not tearing away from her. She turned to Atobe again and stuck her tongue out at him like a child before leaving.

"Interesting…" Oshitari muttered as his gaze followed the girl.

Mukahi laughed.

Shishido grimaced. Did the girl know the dangers of literally throwing a bouquet to Atobe and sticking her tongue at him? Apparently, she didn't.

"Will she be fine?" Ohtori asked, quite concern for the girl. Hyotei is not safe for someone like her.

After a couple of minutes, everyone returned to their activities.

Atobe stared at the direction where Avery left, quite dumbfounded. He turned to the bouquet that was given to him and then back to where he was staring. He grabbed his phone from his pocket and speed dialled a number.

"_What's up with you and calling me all of a sudden?!" _Atobe was greeted by a shout coming from a familiar voice.

"Ore-sama sees you're doing fine, Tomoyo." He heard the girl groan in irritation. "You said clovers are effective, why did she not like it?"

"_I don't know. I didn't think the girl wouldn't be contented with clovers like me." _Tomoyo exasperated.

"Well, you're the one who knows a lot about flowers, Ms. Self Proclaimed florist." Atobe retorted. "But she gave something. A bouquet of yellow carnations." Tomoyo laughed so hard that she was almost out of breath. "What's wrong?" Atobe was starting to get irritated.

"_Yellow carnations mean rejection."_ Another round of laughter came. Atobe hung up, sliding his phone back to his pocket and storming off.

Oshitari chuckled. He liked seeing this. It was rare for Atobe to look stupid in front of many people. But of course, only a genius would figure it out since almost everyone in the court was clueless. _Almost._

O~O~O

Avery passed by the garden across their building. This early morning walk should calm her, or so she thought. She pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing.

"A sigh can mean that you are in grief or you are happy, which between the two is it?" Avery blinked when she heard an old man's voice. The gardener walked pass her, his straw hat hanging on his back as he carried a sprinkler and a pair of scissors used for gardening.

"Grief, I think." Avery simply answered, a small smile forming on her lips.

The old man handed out to her the sprinkler. "Would you like to try?" Avery nodded and grabbed the sprinkler from the man's grasps. She showered the leaves of the camellias with water. "Gardening is sometimes relaxing. How about coming here sometimes? I can teach you a thing or two about plants." He said as he started cutting the withered leaves.

"Really? You'll allow me too?" The old man nodded, much to the girl's delight. From afar, they looked like a family. The gardener being the grandfather and Avery his granddaughter. "Thank you, uhm."

"Kawahira Toshiki. I am Kawahira Toshiki, what's your name, young lady?" The old man asked, a smile forming on his lips.

"Asusagawa, Asusagawa Avery." She answered, returning the man's smile.

"Then, Asusagawa-chan, please give some of that to the seedlings over there." He pointed at the potted plants near the building.

"Oji-san, it is fine if you call me Avery." The girl said, grinning at the man before going to where the seedlings were.

"Receiving flowers is not a bad thing, you know?" Kawahira started a conversation. "It's something to be happy about." Avery stopped watering the plants and turned to the gardener whose back was facing her.

"How did you know it?" She asked, knowing half of the answer. Rumors.

"You went to the nearest flower shop and gave the man who sent you clovers yellow carnations. Some young girls were talking about a girl's locker being filled with flowers." The man laughed, as if he remembered something in his younger years. "I used to give red camellias to the girl I was courting before."

"How did it turn out, oji-san?" Avery asked, thinking that he married the girl. But something was shouting at the back of her mind that it didn't turn out well. Only a few knows the camellia's message.

"Apparently, she loved roses more than a scentless camellia." The gardener stopped trimming the bushes and faced the girl, smiling. "But you know, I've always loved camellias. I swore that the girl who wholeheartedly accepts this flower, I shall marry." Avery blinked, waiting for the man's story to unfold. "I met her when I started working as a teacher here in Hyotei. That time, I started a club for students who has interest in gardening. She happened to be the younger sister of the school's superintendent during that time. I gave her a red camellia and I saw the happiness in her eyes. Since then, we started dating and got married."

A small smile came upon Avery's lips. Maybe, if her grandparents were still alive, then she might enjoy their company. Sharing stories of their childhood, how they fell in love with each other, what happened when they were raising her parents, all of those stories that most grandchildren are complaining because of the repetition, she might have enjoyed. "Heh? Then why would a rich man want to be a gardener? You can enjoy the company of your grandchildren. "

"I know that, but, I knew one day we'll depart from this world. My heart shattered when she died fifteen years ago. Since then, I promised that I will plant all her favorite flowers in this school so that everyone will see its beauty." He wiped the sweat off his forehead, his eyes half closed as the sunlight flooded more streets. "Besides, this is the only thing I can do since my body is already starting to complain in the load of schoolwork. I want to see cute students like you every day, despite the old age."

"Oji-san, your wife will haunt you." Then, both of them laughed.

O~O~O

The students went out of their classrooms for their lunch break. Oshitari descended the flight of stairs and headed to the cafeteria. The paved pathway going to the said building was surrounded with different species of plants, both flowering and ornamental. In different seasons, the plants around are very lively, as if they were very well taken care of.

He adjusted his glasses, feeling the warm, relaxing breeze. Just a couple of days more and their summer vacation will start. He blinked when he spotted Atobe in the middle of the pathway, looking for something, or rather, someone. "What's wrong, Atobe?" And for the first time, Atobe looked like he lost something.

"Oh, it's just Yushi." Atobe glanced at Oshitari, ignoring his question. He turned to the opposite direction much to Oshitari's curiosity. "Have you seen that girl?" Atobe finally asked.

_That girl?_ A smirk grazed Oshitari's lips. "So now you're calling her that?" Atobe was pissed alright. He gave a glare, leaving the tensai's question unanswered.

"How dare that girl negatively respond to ore-sama's gesture?" Oshitari resisted the urge to chuckle. So he knew the flower's meaning.

"And speaking of which," The tensai muttered, his gaze following a girl who was walking towards them with an old man walking beside her. Atobe followed Oshitari's gaze and spotted the girl who was holding a wooden tool box.

The old man stopped when he saw two men standing in the way. Avery stopped, a sigh escaping her lips. Kawahira smiled. He got the tool box from Avery and gave her a nod. "You better eat with your friends. I can handle this box." He said, walking pass the two boys.

"Oji-san…" Avery was about to follow only to be blocked by Atobe. His smirk present on his face. As if she was being mocked, the sun made him look like he was glistening. She put a hand above her brows, shading her eyes from the treacherous light. "Atobe…"

"Asusagawa." Atobe plainly said. "Let's talk." He grabbed her wrist, pulling her away from the area but she struggled.

"If you're here to give me another locker of flowers," Avery said, gritting her teeth as she hit Atobe's arm with her clenched fist. But the act wasn't really helpful for her. Atobe just stopped but his grip tightened. "I'll give you the leaves of a venus flytrap next time." Atobe didn't chuckle nor did he smirk. Oshitari's mouth gaped open. It was so not Atobe-like not to give a respond. Come to think of it, Atobe gave some of the girl's who had the courage to confess to him a try, but they didn't last a month. The longest relationship he had so far was three weeks. "Let go!" Avery demanded.

Oshitari looked at the two with amusement in his eyes. It was the first time that Atobe had a hard time with some girl. _This will be interesting…_ He thought.

"Ore-sama has something to say." But Avery continued hitting his arm with her fist. Atobe was not hurt by her actions, of course, but somehow it was irritating. "Would you stop that?!"

"No! If you have something to say, then say it!" Avery said, now trying to unclasp his hand from her wrist.

Atobe's grip tightened, making sure that Avery cannot do anything to unclasp it. "Ore" Atobe's eye twitched. Avery's attention was successfully gained in the process. She stopped hitting Atobe's arm and looked at him. "Ore-sama…Ore… o-I'm sorry." Oshitari gasped. Avery blinked.

Oshitari didn't know which is more shocking. The fact that Atobe apologized or the fact that he addressed himself normally, without the constant ore-sama reference. Either way, both are really surprising and if only he had a video camera with him, he would record it and post it in the internet so that the whole world could see. Better yet, he could irritate Atobe using this. Sadly, he was too shocked to do anything at the moment. He stared at the two with a gasp.

"About yesterday," Atobe's eye twitched again. He swallowed his pride just to apologize to the girl. But certainly, he didn't want Oshitari watching this. "Ore… I wasn't able to say something."

Avery was dumbfounded. She gaped at Atobe, stared at him and blinked. The warm breeze blew, caressing their bare skin. "Can you repeat it? I didn't quite get it."

Atobe blinked. "I wasn't able to-"

"Not that the first sentence." Avery cut him off. She was still shocked but at least she regained a bit of her composure.

Atobe closed his eye, removing his grip on the girl's wrist. He stared at the girl, and then, "O- I'm sorry?" Good thing only the three of them were there.

Atobe was struggling. The feeling of addressing himself normally was foreign. He didn't address himself normally when speaking to anyone, not even to his parents.

Avery was left speechless. Was Atobe allergic to pollen? The sudden change in attitude made her think of a hundred possibilities, the end of the world excluded since she find it unreasonable. "It's fine, I guess." She finally said. "I'll see you later then, Atobe, Oshitari-san." Oshitari gave her a nod. Avery glanced at Atobe one last time before walking pass the two. She grabbed her phone and speed dialled a number as she ran.

Oshitari was confused. "Atobe, what was that all about?"

Atobe inwardly groaned. "Just like what you saw, Oshitari. Ore-sama apologized."

The tensai raised a brow. "So now it's back to ore-sama?"

"Hey, ore-sama will only address myself normally to her." Atobe said making Oshitari chuckle.

O~O~O

A blue haired teen sat by the benches in the rooftop of the hospital. Fluffy white clouds were drifted by the wind in the blue sky. The refreshing warm afternoon breeze caressed his cheek. The teen closed his eyes as he let the warm light bask him. Ah! What a peaceful day!

Then a loud ringing sound submerged, bringing him back to reality. He accepted the call. "Hello,"

"_Seiichi! You won't believe what just happened!_" A girl panted from the other line.

Yukimura blinked. "Good to hear your voice too, Ave. What's wrong? You seemed tired, are some guys after you?"

"_Nothing is wrong with me. I'm completely sane! Come to think of it, I think I'm hallucinating, Seiichi what should I do?!_" Yukimura chuckled. Hearing the voice of his cousin made him happier than the relaxing summer breeze. "_You won't believe what I'll tell you, and I'm sure that it is not a dream._"

"Tell me." Yukimura's gentle voice soothed Avery's senses. They were like siblings. They grew up together, they watched each other's back, and Avery was very happy when she was allowed to attend Rikkai Dai. She was like a big sister to Seiichi.

"_You see,_" Avery's eye twitched. "_A while ago…_" Words seemed to be deprived. "_A while ago._" Yukimura became curious. "_Atobe… Atobe was… that person, he used I instead of his constant ore-sama reference._" He remained speechless, not really knowing of what to say. "_Seiichi?_"

Yukimura didn't really know Atobe aside from the fact that he is a known national ranked player. He can be a match to him and Sanada, after all. And the other known fact about him is that he is a narcissist. He has all the rights to brag about it anyway since he came from a rich family just like Yukimura, and he proved to be an intelligent person. Yukimura asked some of his teammates about Atobe since he wanted to know what kind of person he is. Of course, the protective side of him acted when he discovered the news of Ave's engagement. "That's good, I think." He finally said, earning a groan as a response.

Lately, unlike before, Avery only visits during weekends and not on daily basis. It's kind of sad since Yukimura missed her antics and how she would complain about Bunta teasing her. And lately, she only calls him, asking how he is and how was his day. She would also tell some stories and how she is coping up with her environment. But he wanted to see for himself if she was telling the truth.

**O~O~O**

_**Na, Avery, I see up until now that you won't rely on others.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**You always never wanted to do so, right?**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**I always wonder if it's harder for you to accept the fact that you will always need help than to do things on your own.**_

**O~O~O**

Avery wasn't still accustomed to Atobe's new way of talking even though three days had passed since then. He would address himself normally at her and when some of his teammates talk to him, he would return his ore-sama reference. But that's not what she was worried about. Some girls would glare at her when Atobe talked to her. At least some of them learned their lesson not to make her angry.

And then there's this event again.

"I see you and Oshitari are getting along well, Asusagawa." Oshitari hid his smile. Their conversation started with Oshitari handing her the book that she dropped that is about flowering plants. And for some reason, their conversation went back in time during the crusades and renaissance where art, science, and literature really flourished. It was rare for Oshitari to have a decent conversation with a girl. Either he adjusts for the girl, or they just stare at him, trying their best to be demure and look shy in front of him.

A smile came upon Avery's face. "You found a good friend, Atobe."

Atobe's smirk widened. "It's not only you who have good eyes, Asusagawa." Avery chuckled. "I think it's time for us to go." He gave a smirk and turned to the opposite direction and walked.

Oshitari patted her shoulder, earning a nod in response, and walked ahead, following Atobe. "Go where?" Avery asked, stopping the two on their tracks.

"Are you curious about my affairs now, Asusagawa?" Atobe said, his smirk widening. Oshitari rolled his eyes as a smile formed on his lips, and as he crossed his arms.

Avery hid her blush. Come to think of it, she was surprised when she felt her cheeks heat up. _Why am I blushing? _She turned to the window and looked at how the ground was being showered by the scorching sun. _That's it, it is because of the heat._ She thought, shrugging any doubts off her mind. "I just asked. It's your choice to answer or not." She simply answered, crossing her arms.

Atobe laughed. He walked towards her. His hand reached for her face. Avery was surprised by that gesture. She staggered backward, as if the hand was something to be afraid of. A bead of sweat rolled down her cheek as the hand went nearer. She could feel her heart beating, as if it wanted to escape this situation also and literally drop to the ground. Then, Atobe's hand brushed her bangs out of her eye. After that, Avery's eyes met with Atobe's lips smiling. "Tennis practice." He abruptly turned and left with Oshitari.

Avery looked around her, hoping that no one has seen it. Luckily, the hallway was almost empty. For a couple of moments, she stared at the direction where Atobe left. Her chest didn't hurt anymore, unlike moments ago when Atobe was reaching for her face. Her cheeks weren't that warm, unlike before. She didn't understand it too, but it wasn't like the normal pain she experience. Her heart beating fast wasn't a foreign feeling to her. She experienced this before like when the results of the exams went out and she knew she's screwed because she didn't review her answers, only for her to calm down when she finally discovers that she aced it; or when her grades would be seen by her parents only to see that they are disappointed, or when her parents didn't go to her recital when she was nine and they said it wasn't that important. Her chest tightening in those times were really painful. But this time, the tightening in her chest didn't feel painful nor light at all. Well, partially it was painful. There wasn't any proper word to describe it.

_RIIING!_

"Gah!" Avery flinched when she heard her phone ringing. She fished the cursed thing from her pocket and accepted the call. She looked around, and felt relieved when no one saw that embarrassing moment. "Hello?"

"_Ave? Congratulations! Kanou-sensei said you got the third highest score in the Hyotei National Exam._" Her sister's voice echoed. "_Ave?_"

Avery slapped her forehead with her free hand. She forgot about the results. "Uhm, yeah, about that, thanks," She said with her cheery voice. "I think." She whispered. Then something came up in her mind. Her proud smile vanished in her lips. "Nee-sama? You and Kanou-sensei talked?"

"_Yes. I was worried about your transfer in Hyotei. I kept on asking her to help you out, and she said yes._" Then, Avery hung up. She turned off her phone and kept it in her pocket.

Avery headed to the faculty room to talk to Kanou-sensei. _This cannot stay as it is._ She thought, about to reach for the door. She hated how society thinks. How people around her thinks, and most especially, she hated it when someone is helping her without even informing her. _I am not a little girl anymore!_

"_Oh Asusagawa Avery, huh?_" Avery's face brightened. Kanou-sensei, their old Greek teacher was still inside. "_She's a bright student also. But you know, her sister still helps her._"

"_Really? What a dependent student!_"

"_Besides, her sister is brighter than she is._"

Avery put her hand down and staggered backward. She turned to the opposite direction, and silently returned to their classroom.

O~O~O

Atobe was surprised to see a particular girl sitting on the bleachers, watching their club activities. It was unusual for her to be there. Usually, he would find her in the garden, sitting in one of the benches swaying her feet back and forth like a little girl. A smirk came to his lips as he used his signature smash, rondo towards destruction, to return the ball to the other court, and at the same time gaining his well deserved victory.

"Be awed by my prowess!" Atobe exclaimed, his gaze at Avery.

Avery blinked, not really knowing if Atobe was looking at her or some of the spectators. She looked around but she was the only person sitting in the row. Then, her gaze met with Atobe who was still looking at her. She gave a small grin, out of instinct.

Atobe was satisfied with the reaction he had received, for now. He went to the benches where Kabaji was waiting for him. Kabaji handed Atobe his towel and his water bottle.

"It's unusual for you to use that smash in a practice match, Atobe." Oshitari said. "Or maybe you wanted to end that match ahead of time, Atobe." Of course, Oshitari was waiting for Atobe to tell that he was really impressing someone. But knowing Asusagawa, she might not be impressed that easily.

"Yushi, ore-sama wants her to see the reason why she should fall for me." Atobe said, running a hand through his silky locks. Oshitari sighed as he rolled his eyes. It's really obvious that Atobe was interested to the girl. "Ore-sama has decided, ore-sama will make her fall for me." Oshitari gave a small smile. It's really easy to read Atobe sometimes. And right now, he's an idiot when it comes to his feelings.

After Atobe changed to his school uniform, he found Avery helping the gardener returned the tools in the tool shed. She waved goodbye to the gardener, and watched him left. She turned to Atobe and smiled at him. "Did you wait long?" Atobe asked.

Avery shook her head. "Oji-san kept me companied." Her smile vanished when Atobe reached out a hand for her. She blinked, unsure of the hand's purpose. "High five!" She grinned at Atobe who blinked in confusion. Her grin vanished. "Is something wrong? Did I slap your hand so hard?"

Atobe's eye twitched. He swiftly grabbed Avery's bag from her and slung it over his shoulder, his bag on his other hand. "Give me that. I, as a gentleman, should carry my fiancée's bag." And Atobe felt that Avery's bag became heavier. She turned to Avery who was pulling back her bag, her frown replacing the smile on her lips.

"I can carry my bag. It's not really heavy. Besides, I will just carry it for a couple of meters and your ride is waiting for us. I don't need your help." Avery reasoned; her brows furrowed. She tried pulling her bag harder. "Let go, Atobe!"

Atobe smirked. A normal girl would just nod and quietly walk beside him. But this girl protested. "A few meters will hurt your delicate shoulder." He said with a chuckle.

Avery puffed her cheeks. "My butler forces me to drink milk every day. Give me that!" She groaned in irritation. _Damn Atobe's strong arms!_ She thought. Somehow, Avery found this situation amusing. At least, she could be herself with Atobe, unlike with the other students and teachers in Hyotei. She would act like what they expect from her. A well refined lady. And for some reason, she is being herself in front of Atobe. The least person she expected to be in good terms with.

Atobe pulled the bag with a greater force exerted than that of Avery's. She lost balance, tripped, and she knew that a hard ground will welcome her any time. But then, she wasn't, luckily. She felt something soft, like cotton, and fragrant like a rose's scent. "Asusagawa?" A blush crept on Avery's cheek. She pushed Atobe away from her, and created a fine distance between them.

"A-Atobe, give me back my bag!" Avery ordered, looking away, trying to hide her blush. She held her hand out, asking for her bag.

"I'll carry it for you. It's not like I'll get anything." Atobe replied. "Why are you so stubborn?"

"Me? You're the one being stubborn." Avery pointed her index finger at him.

"That's why a lot of people like your sister." Atobe muttered, with a smirk on his face.

Avery's amusement in the current situation diminished. She stepped on Atobe's foot and successfully grabbed her bag from him. "Don't you dare follow me!" She glared at him and ran away. _That's it then! He's one of them!_

Atobe was dumbfounded. He really didn't know the reason for the sudden change of mood. He stood there, motionless. No girl couldn't resist his charm. Besides, the gesture was just something so typical, and expected of him to do.

"You just don't understand a girl's heart, Atobe." Oshitari had a smile on his face. He raised his arms in defeat when he received a glare. "She might not look like it, but she's sensitive when it comes to competition." He said, not wanting to get to Atobe's bad side.

"Ore-sama did-"

"You're just clueless Atobe." Oshitari left. Atobe felt mocked.

O~O~O

Yukimura wasn't really expecting a visitor at this time of the day. But when he saw Avery, banging open the door and running towards him, happiness flooded on his face. But when he saw the smile… the smile that he hated for so long, every bit of happiness vanished. She engulfed him in a bear hug, embracing him tightly.

"Seiichi!" Avery said with glee. She pulled away and sat at the chair beside the bed. "I missed you so much."

Yukimura's frown didn't last long. He decided that he'd let Avery tell him first. "It was just four days, Ave." He chuckled.

She puffed her cheeks. "A lot can happen in four days, you know." She crossed her arms and looked away. "Aren't you happy seeing me?" She grabbed the knife from the basket of fruits lying on the table and grabbed an apple. "Who gave this to you?" She asked, peeling off the skin.

"Mom and Hina visited me a while ago." A small smile came on the girl's face.

"Heh? Auntie is back, huh?" Yukimura gasped. He cupped Avery's cheek and wiped the water trickling down her cheek with his thumb.

Avery was brought back to reality. She put the apple and the knife back to the table. She looked at Yukimura with a confused expression. He pointed at her cheeks. And Avery frowned numbly, bringing a hand on her cheek. Then she felt something warm and wet at the same time. _Tears?_ She thought.

"I think I'm catching a cold." Avery said, wiping the tears with her fingers. Yukimura remained silent, watching her walk towards the window and stare at the starry sky. Then, she turned back to him. "Ne, Seiichi, can I stay here a bit more?"

A smile came to Yukimura's lips. "Of course."


	7. Tragic Conclusion, Happy Venting

**The usual disclaimer, I don't own PoT. Just borrowed the characters, except for my OC.  
**

**Hope you guys will like it, and please review!  
**

**Friday, 9:00pm**

Summer nights were warm. No signs of rain either. Even some people would find it pleasant to have a walk in the nearby streets. The light posts in the sidewalks were uniformly lighting the streets, making it safer for everyone.

"Seiichi, do you want to go to the greenhouse tomorrow?" Avery asked, turning to him with a smile on her face. She leaned against the window pane, feeling the cold glass against her skin. The nurses just went out of the room after taking Yukimura's vital signs. "Don't you want to?"

Yukimura chuckled. "Of course I do." He closed the door, headed to the bed and sat at the edge. "But, you know that the day of my operation is near, right? They don't allow me to go out of the hospital, nowadays. Besides, it's unusual for you to tell me that, considering that you are somehow, strict when it comes to my recovery." He said with amusement.

Avery puffed her cheeks. "I'm not that-"

The door banged open, surprising the two in the process. Atobe was panting, brows furrowed, lips pursed. His uniform was slightly wrinkled after hours of searching for a certain person. Then, there was silence.

"Looks like it's time for you to go home, Ave." Yukimura broke the silence.

Of course, Avery didn't say anything or do anything. She just stared at Atobe who stood by the door, and who had his brow raised as he looked at Yukimura. Then, he turned to Avery, walked inside the room as if the one residing it wasn't present, and grabbed Avery's wrist much to the girl's anger. "Let go!" But it was futile.

"I've searched the whole city for you." Atobe exclaimed.

Avery tried getting out of Atobe's grasp. "What? I should be impressed?" She asked, hitting his shoulder with her free hand.

"Ave!" Yukimura knew he should do something about this situation. He held on Atobe's arm, gripping it tightly. "Let go of it. She's hurt." Yukimura's blue eyes met with that of the black eyes Atobe possess. Neither let go, instead, both men were faced in a staring contest.

And finally, Avery was able to yank her wrist free from Atobe's hand. "I'm sorry, Seiichi." She broke the silence between the two. Yukimura let go of Atobe's arm and turned to Avery who grabbed her things. "I'll see you tomorrow, then." She grabbed Atobe's arm and pulled him out of the room.

Atobe and Avery used the elevator to go to the lobby. As they descended the floors, neither spoke what they wanted to say, thinking that the situation will just get worse.

And finally, Atobe opened his mouth to say something. The elevator bell rung, the doors opened and he shut his mouth close when he saw Lianne standing in front of them. She had a worried expression on her face, her hand clutching her chest. Avery and Atobe got out of the device.

"Ave! I was worried!" Avery was engulfed in an embrace by her older sister. "Don't do that, ever again! Thank you for your help, Atobe-kun." Lianne grinned at Atobe who nodded. She held Avery's hand tightly, as if she will not return to her if she let go of it.

"You ask Atobe to look for me?" Avery glared at Atobe, and then turned to Lianne.

"No, he volunteered looking for you when he thought you went home early. Atobe-kun is such a well mannered gentleman! He went to our home just to make sure you were there." Lianne said happily, as if nothing had happened. "Mother was furious you know? But, don't worry, I talked to her. Don't run off to somewhere, without telling us, okay?" She reprimanded.

After that, they parted ways.

O~O~O

Of course, that act wasn't left unpunished. Atobe was sure about it. He put his phone on the table after dialling Avery's phone for the nth time but it seemed to be off. He didn't know why but somehow, he was worried. But, it was her fault after all. She did run away from him. _Some girl…_ He thought, pinching the bridge of his nose and leaning his head against the soft, comfy sofa. Just a week to go and he'd be able to have a well deserved vacation.

After club activities, he decided that he'd stop by a French café he deemed worthy of having his presence. Gazing out the window, some men wearing black tux were outside, seemingly searching for something, or someone. He turned back to his unfinished coffee, putting aside the chaos happening outside. He took the cup to his mouth and finished what was left of his beverage. He stood up, and went out of the café.

Outside seemed to be peaceful, aside from the fact that people, especially little kids, were scared of the men in black tuxes. Of course, he is passive of these things. They are just some of the wealthy person's men trying to look for his lost pet or something. People in the underground business knew too well that they shouldn't attract any attention.

He turned left, heading to the hospital where he found Avery last night. It was only a coincidence that he had to be there. Yes, because Choutarou had scheduled a check-up, for his wrist. And Atobe, as Choutarou's captain, wanted to make sure that he is in good condition. That's right that was his only reason. That's why he was there, in that hospital, where Yukimura Seiichi was confined. Nothing more.

The double doors automatically opened, allowing him to enter. As he walked towards the area where Choutarou said he would be in, Atobe noticed those men again. What they were doing there, Atobe didn't know and he didn't care either. But then, he saw a figure from behind a wall, peeking at those men, and then the figure disappeared. He turned to the hallway where he saw the figure, only to see no one. Thinking that it wasn't important, he casually walked, turning to hallways and passing by rooms.

Avery wore a nice loose cream tee shirt and a pair of blue jeans. She stood by the corner, watching for any signs of those black men looking for her. Her hair was tucked in her black cap and her eyes were shielded by her square sunglasses. She knew well that it wasn't appropriate to wear sunglasses inside a building because there's no sun blinding her. And in normal days, it isn't her style to wear such accessories. But today is an exemption. As she passed by the seemingly unending hallways, she didn't put her guard down.

She cursed under her breath when she hid behind a wall, spotting one of those neatly dressed men looking for her. Lianne didn't want her little sister to get out of her sight, and when she discovered that Avery was gone, she practically called all their security staff and made them search for her. And they were scattered around the city until they finally find her and return her back. She checked once again if it was safe to pass by. "Tsk." She swivelled, deciding that she should take another route. She ran, occasionally looking back to make sure no one was following her.

Atobe turned right when he reached the end of the path. He was sure that everyone was reminded not to run in the hallways, except for emergency purposes, but then, someone stubbornly broke the rule and bumped him. He was pushed back to the ground much to his anger. He rubbed his shoulder where he felt most of the impact, and turned to the person who bumped at him. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, but he was cut off by surprise.

"What's the big idea?!" Atobe's eyes widened. He wasn't expecting Avery to be here, bumping him. She sent a glare, as if he was the one who pushed the girl. She rubbed her temples, standing up. Her dishevelled hair was revealed when the cap fell.

Atobe rose up, quickly gaining balance. "Weren't you informed that you are not allowed to run?" He said, quite irritated.

Avery grabbed her cap, and her sunglasses. She tucked her hair in the cap, making sure that even a strand cannot be seen. After the incident yesterday, Atobe was out. She doesn't want anything that has something to do with him, anymore.

_That's why a lot of people like your sister._ Of course, she was being unreasonable, but she hated it. The comparison is just something that people should just leave. "Why are you dressed like a-" She cut Atobe off when she pushed him aside and ran away.

O~O~O

Avery was like a mouse being chased by a lot of cats. Wherever she go, she would spot one of those men, lurking nearby the passages that she needed to pass by. She leaned against the door of some room, catching her breath. This chase tire her, and only one thing came up to her mind. Borrow some lab gown, surgical mask and surgical net.

Footsteps were heard from every corner of the hallway, and she was sure it was them. She had no choice, and she might be discovered. She saw shadows coming on her way. She bit her lower lip, thinking of giving up, already, and accepting defeat. Then, the door behind her opened, much to her surprise. She fell backwards, hoping that this misfortune would lead to something helpful.

The door closed, and Avery has no idea what happened to those men. But, the joy of escaping them didn't last. Atobe's smirk was the first thing she saw.

O~O~O

For some reason, they were in the rooftop, feeling the cool breeze. In normal days, Avery would like the feeling of the wind brushing against her skin, but, of all people to be accompanied by, it has to be him.

"A 'thank you' than a glare would be nice, Asusagawa." Atobe remarked, rolling his eyes.

Avery rolled her eyes, crossed her arms, and shifted her weight on one foot. "I didn't ask for your help, Atobe." She scoffed.

"But you looked like you needed one." He said, his smirk slowly making its way to his lips.

"I still didn't ask for one." She raised a brow, clearly not letting Atobe win in this debate. They're debating whether or not she should say 'thank you' or not. She gritted her teeth on how ridiculous this situation was. "Like last night."

"So now you are bringing it back, huh? I was kind enough to volunteer getting you home since you were with Yukimura, watching over him as if he would die." Atobe scoffed. For some reason, he was bothered about it. He was irritated. That's right, he concluded last night, that it was irritation that he felt. He felt irritated when she left, and he felt more irritated when he found her in the hospital with Yukimura.

"Well, sorry if I was worried about someone who has a very fatal neurological disease that paralyzes his limbs." Avery tiptoed, levelling her eyes with Atobe's.

"A girl of your status should know that you should be home by that time." Atobe inched closer to Avery, their forehead almost touching. Then, she felt her face heat up. She stepped back, looking away stubbornly. It was the sun's heat, she thought.

"And a boy of your status shouldn't be searching for some girl of my status at that time." Avery imitated Atobe's tone. She tapped her foot, showing her irritation. "What kind of 'gentleman' would barge in a room, without even greeting the one residing it?"

"That was me being kind. What kind of girl would stay with some man in a room, that late?" He replied. Of course, while he wants a strong willed girl, modesty should still be there.

"That some man happened to be my younger cousin!" Avery finally got the message of Atobe's sentences. While it doesn't look like they are related by blood, people shouldn't jump into conclusions.

Atobe opened his mouth to retort, but shut it close. Yukimura was not just her friend, he was her cousin. So that's why they were that close. That's why she would bother visiting him in some days. That's why he would always catch her talking to him on the phone, or sending him a message. He stared at the girl who glared at the ground, her cheeks red because of the sun's heat, and he was speechless. He felt that 'irritation' for nothing. He often wondered about their relationship and jumping into wrong conclusions always. He hated it.

"And unlike some people who like my perfect sister better, he appreciates me being me." Atobe was brought back to reality. She took offense in his words. But he wasn't able to say what he wanted to say to her.

Avery heaved a sigh, thinking that she might have gone overboard. "Look, Atobe, I'm-"

"Yeah, it's true that a lot of people want your sister better. She has every quality a normal person wants." Atobe chuckled. Turning to Avery, he slightly gaped open. The girl wasn't glaring at him; she was simply standing there, biting her lower lip.

Avery sniffed, turning her back at him. "I know that already, you don't have to rub it in!" She said, resisting her tears coming out of her eyes. Just as she was heading to the door, Atobe caught up with her, grabbing her wrist.

"But listen to what I think." Avery faced Atobe. She felt stupid for not listening to him, and jumping into wrong conclusions. "They may like your sister better, but they didn't see how interesting you are. Unlike her, you have good eyes for people." Then, Atobe removed his grip on her wrist and opened the door. "But I don't have to explain that to you. It's your fault for not listening to me." He walked in, closing the door and left Avery in the rooftop. Some steps below, Atobe heard heavy footsteps ascending some flight of stairs. He realized that it was those men who were after Avery.

Avery leaned against the wall beside the door. She stared at her shadow and the shadows of the white blankets being dried under the sun. _Atobe is disappointed, I think. _She thought as she clutched her hand. Wait, who cares if Atobe was disappointed. It's not like she was meeting his expectations. Yes, she doesn't care about it. That narcissistic jerk only cares about people's praises, and not some girl's worth. Yeah, he did that for the challenge. Of course, why would he impress her if it's not about winning?

But she knew that she has a fault. She was about to open the door, to apologize to him. The knob turned, much to her surprise, and the door opened. Atobe came back! Avery staggered backwards. He closed the door shut, and went in front of Avery. He grabbed both her hands, peeking at the door.

Avery blinked. She jumped; trying to see what was Atobe looking at. He looked serious, as if something came up. His grip was really tight, and she knew it was futile to get out of it. Then, the door banged open. Before Avery knew it, Atobe's lips landed on hers. She didn't know how to react with this. Her hands were really unreliable at the moment. Her eyes widened, as Atobe tried to deepen the kiss. Avery got a glimpse of the men who were after her. A blush crept on her cheeks. It may be because someone kissed her or because they saw someone kissing her or maybe both. Avery's mind is in a daze.

Atobe made it look realistic. He wanted those men to return back inside. After a couple of seconds, they closed the door, muttering apologies and left. He pulled away, releasing Avery's hands. A smirk came to his lips. Avery's cheeks had a color of tomatoes. No, in fact they were redder than tomatoes. She threw a fist at him, but he dodged. He raked a hand through his hair. "You have to do better than that Asu-" A thick white cottony material blocked Atobe's vision. It was dark all of a sudden.

Avery kept throwing blankets at him. Her blush lightened a bit but her heart was still beating rapidly. She even thought that she had an arrhythmia. But that was impossible. She kept throwing those blankets, groaning at the weight of it. She repeated throwing those blankets at him until she calmed down. Her glare vanished. Her frown vanished. She stopped throwing them. She laughed.

Atobe was finally able to get out of those heavy thick cotton blankets. Unbelievable! The girl threw blankets at him and helped him get out of them. And now, he watched her put the blankets back to their rack to dry them. She even laughed at him, as if those blankets were a fine piece of art. He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and grunted. "Asusagawa, you should really-"

"I'm sorry!" Avery said turning to him. She smiled at him. "I'm very sorry."

And after that, Atobe's smirk returned. Everything went back to normal.

**O~O~O**

_**Na, Keigo, I see that until now, you never change.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**I'm glad that you are still treating me that way, someone who is perfect in the midst of her imperfection.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**But, there are things that need change, even if you see it as not important.**_

**O~O~O**

Atobe, arranged some papers in the student council room. He wanted everything to be organized before summer vacation starts. Only a few people were very early in school, he included. It was beneficial for him. Only a few people would bother him, and he could enjoy his alone time. Then, he heard two knocks on the door. He put the papers down and headed outside. He slid open the door, expecting a teacher, a student, and fine, a fangirl, or someone who would confess to him, but instead, he found a bouquet of purple hyacinth lying on the floor.

He picked it up and noticed a something attached to it. _Hope this settles our misunderstanding. _It was neatly written in a scented white card. Atobe smirked. _Purple hyacinth, huh? She's apologizing._ He thought as he stared at the flowers beautifully decorated with lavender nettings, lavender crepe paper, laces and ribbons.

Oshitari doesn't normally go to the student council room, but his math teacher saw him passing by the faculty room, and she asked him to give this to the student council president. He had no choice at all.

"It's unusual for you to visit, ore-sama, Yushi." Atobe smirked, glancing at him before returning to what he was reading.

"Sensei asked me to hand this to you." Oshitari coolly answered, adjusting his glasses before putting the papers on the table. Then, his eyes trailed off to a vase on the edge of Atobe's table. Purple hyacinths were housed by a glass vase filled with water. "It's unusual for you to keep gifts from your fangirls." He said, staring at the vase.

Atobe looked up and turned to the direction where Oshitari was looking. His smirk widened. "It's not from a fangirl."

"Ho?" Oshitari turned to Atobe, curiosity clearly evident in his feature. Then, Oshitari smirked. "From Asusagawa-san, is it?"

"It's for apology." Atobe simply answered. "If you don't have any more business here, leave ore-sama." He added, making the tensai chuckle.

O~O~O

Avery walked by the garden, inhaling the fresh scent of the surrounding trees. Morning walks are really refreshing. She put her hands behind her back. That morning, she had a light feeling. Of course, who wouldn't? Her punishment was over, she can visit Yukimura anytime, his operation is in four days, and she made it up to Atobe by sending a bouquet of hyacinth. So it would be fine between them.

She headed to the shoe lockers. Then, she rushed towards her own locker, seeing that it was overflowing with white poppies. She clenched her fist, hitting her locker with it. She opened the locker, more flowers falling on the floor. A sigh escaped her lips. She fished for her phone in her pocket and dialled a number.

"Seiichi, where can I buy a venus flytrap?" Avery asked.

O~O~O

Oshitari blinked when Kabaji and Atobe passed by. He caught a glimpse of a potted plant being carried by Kabaji towards the garden. He was about to follow them to ask what came up, but he stopped when he saw Avery descending the flight of stairs.

"Oh? Hi, Oshitari-san!" Avery smiled at him.

Oshitari nodded in response. "Have you seen Atobe and Kabaji pass by?" She shook her head in response. "They were carrying a pot."

"A pot?" Avery blinked, and then she chuckled. "I think he received it already." She walked pass Oshitari, a huge grin appearing on her face.

The tensai adjusted his glasses before catching up with Avery. "What do you mean?"

"The flytrap." She informed, smiling sweetly, as if she did nothing wrong.


	8. Tragic Recreation, Happy Chivalry

**Thank you guys for reviewing the last chapter! More and more people are viewing this story, and subscribing. And thank you to those who put this in their list of favorites. I'll try replying to your reviews if I have the time.**

**I don't own PoT.  
**

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**

Atobe heaved a sigh for the tenth time that morning. He stared at the five pots of venus flytraps, thinking that it was all ridiculous. He kept on receiving them every time he gave flowers to Avery. He thought that it was just an empty threat that she'd give an odd plant to him. After that week, he noted to himself that he should not give a flower to Avery anymore.

He smirked. If Asusagawa doesn't want flowers, then how about using other methods? He picked his phone that was lying on the table, about to contact someone, but an incoming call interrupted his plan. He answered the call, nonetheless. "What is it, Mukahi?" Atobe said with a grumpy tone.

O~O~O

Avery wasn't sure, and she couldn't explain her actions as of the moment, but there is something deep within her that gave her an anxious feeling inside. She went inside a church, genuflected, and then knelt. She made the sign of the cross, and prayed. She prayed deeply and sincerely, hoping that her words can reach God. This was the first time in her whole fifteen years that she prayed so sincerely and deeply, calling all of the saints she knew. She remembered the time when her grandmother told her that if she is in trouble, she could seek refuge in the church, and she'd find peace. She didn't believe it at all.

"_But, we can still pray here at home." _Avery answered to her grandmother whenever she would put up a topic about prayers and the teachings of the Holy Church. She was eight back then. She was an obedient little girl. But when she turned ten, she realized that she couldn't rely on prayers if she did nothing for her wish. For her, prayers are catalyzing agents, hard work is the key to make your wishes come true. Besides, living out what was written in their holy scriptures is more important than memorizing those scriptures, alone. People just take some symbols literally.

But it was different. Tomorrow will be a very long day. Tomorrow will be a very frustrating day for her. Heck today is making her frustrated. Tomorrow, she might die of nervousness. Some heart attack or something will most likely be the source of her death. A sigh escaped her lips as she rose up. Taking one last look at the altar, she thought, '_Please let Seiichi's operation be successful.' _

Avery turned her back at the altar and saw a familiar boy. She blinked at the sight. She gave a smile at the approaching boy. "Senpai." He said, his gentle voice reminding her of Yukimura. "I'm surprised to see you here."

"I was surprised as well, Ohtori-kun." Avery responded in a hushed voice. She didn't want her voice to have an echo in an almost empty Gothic cathedral. "Well then, see you around." She gave the younger boy one final smile before walking pass him.

"Wait, senpai, Mukahi-senpai invited us to go to an amusement park. Atobe-san will be there, would you like to join?" Avery put a hand on her chin, momentarily deciding, but then her nervousness wouldn't calm her down. Ohtori stared at her with a worried expression. She seemed to be occupied about something. Maybe it was a wrong idea to ask her. "Senpai?"

This seemed to get Avery out of her thoughts. "Sorry, what was that?"

"It's fine if you don't want to." Ohtori said with a small smile. "I just thought that you might want to come." He scratched the back of his head, looking down. "It will be more fun if you also tag along, but I think you're not feeling well."

"No, I'm fine, really. Sorry about that." Avery resisted the urge to hit her head on the nearest pillar. She put on a grin, trying her best to look fine.

O~O~O

Atobe wasn't sure if his teammates are really that mature, or they still have a heart of a child's. Still, he can't believe that they were able to persuade him go to an amusement park. That, or he was just irritated, yes, he believed that it was irritation building up inside him. He called Avery only for her butler to answer the call and told him that she left her cellular phone on her table. She rushed to the hospital and he knew immediately that she went for Yukimura, again.

"Ohtori is here!" Mukahi said as he almost jumped from his seat. Then he blinked when he saw Avery walking beside him.

"Sorry if I'm late senpai." Ohtori said, scratching the back of his head. He took a glance at Avery who examined the people present, and smiled when she saw familiar faces.

"Atobe, he is with your girl." Mukahi pointed out, as if implying something. He smiled when he saw that Atobe rolled his eyes, his point being clear for Atobe. But the red head's smile was short lived when he felt an impact on his shoulder. He gave a glare at Avery. "What's with that?!" He asked, rubbing the area where Avery punched him.

"I am not someone's possession." Avery gave a glare. She took her impression on Mukahi back. He wasn't like Marui at all. Not even a single bit! She continued glaring at Mukahi who sighed.

"I was just kidding, okay? I'm sorry." Mukahi muttered, grimacing as he looked at his shoulder. A slight bruise was seen but other than that, he is fine.

And Avery turned her gaze to Atobe, giving him a small smile. For some reason, her smile wasn't returned by a smirk or by a mere nod. Instead, he turned to Oshitari and started a conversation about how he could improve this park if his family bought it. What a brat! Her jaw dropped, taking that gesture as an insult. But that momentary shock was short lived. She shrugged that off for now.

"Then how about we go to plan A?" Mukahi said with glee.

Atobe, Ohtori, and Avery blinked in confusion. Jirou suddenly became cheery, a huge grin plastered on his face while Shishido and Oshitari grimaced. Kabaji and Hiyoshi's expression remained passive as usual.

"Then we'll have to go in that ride, and then in that place, and then to my other favorite place, and then my second favorite, and then to that?" Jirou asked, circling Mukahi who nodded and grinned at him. Jirou laced his hands together, a big grin plastered on his face.

"Not this again." Oshitari said, pinching the bridge of his nose as he shook his head. A not so pleasant memory of his second year returned to him. But he smiled nonetheless.

Atobe's instincts told him to be sceptic about this plan A. He arched a brow as he turned to Mukahi. "What is in this plan A of yours, Mukahi?" He asked.

"Oh, it's just really that simple, Atobe." Mukahi said, his smile imitating Atobe's daily smirk.

Atobe, on the other hand, rolled his eyes. "Really? Enlighten ore-sama." He scoffed.

Oshitari adjusted his glasses before turning to Atobe. "You seriously want to know?" He asked, and Atobe gave him an obviously-four-eyes look.

"Well, you see Atobe," Mukahi started circling Atobe, clasping his hands behind his back as he slightly leaned forward. He looked as if he was studying Atobe. "For starters, you will be paired with the person that has the same color as the stick that you picked." He said, grabbing the box full of some sticks with random colors at the tip. "The stick that you have picked has some list of rides in this amusement park. Those are the only ones that you can ride until lunch, and then, the pair who got here latest shall treat the early ones to finish." His sinister grin finally appeared.

Oshitari rolled his eyes as a smile came to his face. "As always…" He muttered.

"That is ridiculous!" Avery said, her brows furrowed. "There are rides that have a kilometre worth of people waiting in line." She pointed out, Mukahi's grin widening. "Besides, one would be left out since we are nine in all." In actuality, she was finding a loophole for her to go home. She doesn't want to be part of this child's play. She smiled inwardly.

But the smile was short lived when Jirou just decided to be part of the conversation instead of sleeping on some bench or something. "Hiyoshi gets to be the referee this year!" He chirped as if it would help in the situation. "You can join us, Asusagawa-chan!" Avery grimaced.

"It's decided then!" Mukahi said as he started passing the box filled with sticks to everyone.

Oshitari and Kabaji were partners for this year. As the tensai browsed through the list of rides, a satisfied smirk came to his face. He turned to Kabaji who stared at the stick. "Looks like we'll be winning for this year, right Kabaji?" He asked confidently.

"Usu!" Came Kabaji's thrift answer.

Avery raised a brow as she grabbed a stick from the box. She examined the people around her. Apparently, Jirou and Shishido were partners, and Ohtori and Mukahi were paired up. So that leaves Hiyoshi and Atobe, scratch that, Hiyoshi is the referee. Her jaw slacked. _Not him!_ She thought as she met her gaze with Atobe's.

A sly smirk came to his face. She grimaced, abruptly casting a look aside. She raised the stick to eye level, browsing the possible places that she would go on.

_House of Jesters_

_Swan Lake_

_Octopus_

_Ferris Wheel_

_My little antique-_

"It would be ore-sama's victory, Yushi." Atobe declared, walking towards Avery with his ever confident smirk on his face. Avery blinked, her gaze abruptly turning to Atobe and then to Oshitari.

"Well, we can't say that just yet, Atobe." Oshitari responded, a competitive glint on his eyes evident.

"Then, don't cry after you get defeated." Atobe grabbed Avery's wrist and pulled her towards the location of their first stop, the house of Jesters.

O~O~O

Avery glared at the signboard of their first stop as it glared back at her. A picture of a clown's grinning face was shown above the printed words of the name of the place. She bit the inside of her lip, trying her best not to cry out in fear. She rolled her eyes at the sudden realization. Jesters! Clowns! _Damn it all! _She thought as she chewed the delicate skin inside.

"You know, Atobe, winning might not be a good idea this time." Avery nervously laughed as she scratched the back of her neck. "Don't worry, I'd treat them for lunch." She immediately said when Atobe gave her a glare.

"No, ore-sama refuses to lose, little girl." Atobe said as he took a step inside. When he can't go further, he stopped and turned to Avery. "What's wrong with you?"

Avery stared at her wrist that was shackled. An interlinking chain connected her wrist with Atobe's wrist, making sure that both partners go through the ride. She cursed at the thought of the unfair condition. And to make matters worse, a stamp should be placed on the back of their hand so there would be a proof that they went to the designated place. _Great!_ She thought sarcastically.

"Is winning really everything to you?" Avery cast a look sideways as she whispered.

Of course, Atobe's keen sense of hearing didn't escape this, and his desire to win was great that he forgot about the Mizuki incident. "Yes, now move." He ordered.

Avery, being the average girl of PE class, was pulled. Atobe wasn't the only person who values his pride in this world. Avery does to. She knew too well that some scary make up freak will appear in front of her, or behind her, or beside her, or above her, or even below her, any moment. She clutched her cold hand tightly, her breathing becoming faster as they moved further. She tried to stop the shaking of her hands but as she tried to stop it, the more it shook.

Then, as if the world hates Avery the first clown came into view. He sweetly gave a smile to the two, laughing as he pointed at the shackles restraining them, especially Avery from running. Atobe felt his hand being tugged. But, that instant, he remembered the Mizuki incident. Avery covered her face with the palms of her hand, her body was shaking. Despite the darkness, it was evident for Atobe that the girl was shaking. The clown stared at her, his prying eyes piercing through Avery's covered face.

Atobe knew that something about this clown wasn't right. This place isn't suitable for kids at all, so there must be some gist. Slowly, Avery parted her fingers, taking a peek at her surroundings, wanting to see if the clown disappeared. To make it worse, the smile turned to a grin showing those sharp fangs, as the clown's brows furrowed, his stare at the girl was as if he wanted to eat her. Avery felt a chill ran down her spine, she wanted to run but she froze out of fear. She was sweating cold sweat as a tear trickled down.

Atobe felt guilty for not getting her message at the entrance. Without thinking, he pulled Avery towards him, running as fast as they could to get out of the dark place. Avery wasn't the sporty type of girl. Her body gets easily tired, and she can't run a kilometre with a steady speed except when she is late for school. The only sport she is best at is Archery. But that aside, she felt a hand supporting her as she ran. If it weren't for that hand, she might have fell and landed on her face.

Atobe gripped tightly on her hand, being wary of their surroundings if something like that clown would pop out, out of nowhere again. He grimaced as his grip tightened. He forgot her fear of clowns because of his pride. The reason for getting her as far as he could, he too, doesn't know. It was out of guilt, nope. It was out of nobility and chivalry and being a gentleman. Yes, that's the reason.

She wiped her eyes when she realized that she was crying for some odd reason. Her fear for clowns, mascots, and dolls wasn't overcome through the years. She was panting and she could hear her breathing, but she didn't stop running. She can't, because if she did stop, she would be dragged. Even if she felt her legs wanted to give up, her knees aching as her hinge joint complained, she cannot stop running.

After what seemed to be an eternity of darkness, Avery could see the bright light coming from outside. She felt the fresh air, the sunlight basking her body. Relief flushed her, though not yet fully recovered from the shock. If she wasn't dragged out of that hell, she might have died.

After getting their hands stamped, they proceeded to the next. At least, she wasn't scared of riding a less stable boat, Atobe thought. She peacefully sat as the ride entered the tunnel. And Mukahi got this planned, for some reason. He purposely left the sticks for them since this ride was meant for couples. He rolled his eyes at the idea. _Ore-sama doesn't need your help, Mukahi. _He thought. He turned his gaze to the person sitting beside him who was awkwardly quiet. She remained still, hands on her lap. She stared at her hands, still slightly trembling, her skin returning to its original color unlike the pale one a while ago.

Avery stared at her hands, mentally ordering her neurons to send a command her hands to stop trembling. As if mocking her, her right hand visibly trembled. She used her other hand to hold the shaking hand, somehow stopping it from shaking. A sigh escaped her lips. If she had been paying attention to her surroundings, then she might have seen Atobe staring at her with his brows furrowed and mouth slightly open. And if she was paying attention to her surroundings, she might have enjoyed the feeling of momentary falling in the low artificial fall. But her focus as of the moment was calming herself.

Atobe knew she pretended that she already recovered when they rode the swan shaped boat. The normal her would question why the ride was named Swan Lake if the water was flowing like a river. But she remained silent, and didn't even bother asking some awkward questions, or she didn't even complain about the nature of the ride. Without knowing it, his hand landed on Avery's, giving it a slight squeeze, as if reassuring her that he won't leave her.

Avery turned to Atobe who was looking at the decorations of the tunnel walls at his side. A small smile came to her lips. Sighing, she felt her chest lighten up. Before she knew it, her hands stopped trembling.

O~O~O

Atobe's smirk widened as Mukahi pouted, being the last one to arrive with his pair. Oshitari adjusted his glasses, a frown adorning his face. Hiyoshi gave them the keys that can remove their shackles. And finally, Avery was free from that cold, tight material.

"Well, Oshitari? Ore-sama and Asusagawa won." Atobe said as if to mock the tensai, and he had all the intention to do so.

Oshitari rolled his eyes and smiled. "Well, that's quite obvious Atobe. Besides, your rides don't have a long waiting line, so it's not decided, yet." He said in his defence.

Avery sighed. _Next to fast food chains, I shall never ever, go to amusement parks, ever! _ She thought as she stared at the ground.

"That aside," Shishido smirked at Mukahi. "Where would you treat us, Gakuto?" The red head opened his mouth in protest but shut it close when he saw everyone's facial expression. A sigh escaped his lips.

"I think I have to pass on that." All eyes turned to Avery who blinked. She held her phone on her hand. "Something came up at home." She said. "Thank you for today." She bowed her head politely, and then turned to leave.

Truth be told, she wanted to go home and lock herself in her room for looking like a weak, vulnerable, useless, pathetic and troublesome little girl in front of Atobe. He's the least person in her list that should see her like that. The chauffer opened the car's back door for her. He closed it when he saw that she was comfortable enough in her seat. Then, he sat on the driver's seat.

The chauffer peeked at the young lady through the front mirror. She looked more tired and paler than usual. "Are you okay, young miss?" He asked with a concerned look. Avery turned to him and nodded. She gave a smile. "Shall we go to young master Seiichi?" He asked.

Avery shook her head. "Let's go home first. We'll go to him after lunch." She rested her clenched fist at her lap.

The chauffer took another glance at Avery through the mirror. "I know I have no right to tell you this but, young miss, I heard the Master and the Madame talking about you." This took Avery's interest. She waited for him to continue. "They are planning on letting you continue your high school in Hyotei Gakuen." The chauffer took a glance at her again.

"Are they at home, now?" Avery asked.

"Yes. They are having lunch with Mistress Lianne." He answered.

"Drive me to the hospital. And after that, you can go home." Avery ordered. The man did as he was told.

O~O~O

Atobe wasn't sure about his actions. He knew that buying a mountain of some kind of flower will only end up having another flytrap in his collection. Instead, he bought a bouquet of sunflowers. He tapped his fingers impatiently. He would take occasional glances at his phone that was lying at the corner of his table, waiting for a certain someone to call. His butler stood behind his seat, giving him a worried look. He had been waiting for something in the pavilion of their garden since noon. The sky was almost dark, and a few hours or minutes perhaps, the first star will appear. And yet, Atobe was still in that pavilion, impatiently waiting for something.

Atobe's phone rang, much to his delight. But of course, he did not show it. He answered the call, smirking to himself when he knew who it was. "It's the first time that you called ore-sama, Asusagawa." He coolly said. "What do you want? Finally have the courage to-"

"_Seiichi's operation is a success!_" Avery cut him off. She was happy, and for some reason, a small smile came to Atobe's lips. Michael even saw this once in a lifetime event; and he couldn't help but smile as well. "_He can play again. Go to school just like everyone else._" And that momentary smile disappeared on his face.

"That's good, but ore-sama can still beat him." Atobe said confidently,masking his irritation with a smirk.

"_This isn't about you, Atobe! I just figured that you wanted to know since you are also a player._" Atobe's brows furrowed. This girl!

"Well, that's good. From now on, your weekends shall be spent with ore-sama." Atobe finally blurted. "Ore-sama will seek for your parents' permission." He finally hung up, having a triumphant look on his face.

O~O~O

Of course, Avery remembered the bouquet Atobe gave her, but there were no flytraps on his desk for this week. She'd let that pass. But spending weekends with him? She laughed at the thought of them going in some place or her watching him play tennis. _That would be impossible._ Avery thought as she scanned her notes.

_Knights practiced their chivalry code._ She read the lines of her history notes. The medieval era has a lot of interesting stuff. If she could, then she would only study history. They are like stories, vividly written for her, and not some boring stuff. She wanted to go around the world and study the people's culture. The way they speak, the way they think, and et cetera.

But, she can't. Her future is already planned. One of which is what she would be taking up in college. Their family owns a very large wine industry worldwide, so most likely she'd be taking up biology. Their other business can easily be learned, says her father. And there's this other future that was planned.

_Atobe Keigo…_ She gritted her teeth at the thought. She remembered that he hung up on her that afternoon. "Curse that brat!" She rose from her seat, the chair making a slight screeching sound. She moved out of the classroom, trying to get that Atobe out of her mind.

Avery remembered that her parents approved that she would also see Atobe during weekends. He could take her for lunch, snacks or even for dinner! She cursed under her breath as she headed to the tennis courts, again.

Oshitari raised a brow. Now, here comes the interesting part. He saw Avery grabbing a tennis ball. A smile came to his lips. "Interesting." He muttered.

Atobe threw a ball in the air about to serve. Of course, he made sure that his form is perfect. He was about to swing his racket when he felt something hit his head. The force wasn't that great but the impact still hurt. A smirk came to his lips when he discovered who threw it. "Not close enough, little girl." He said.

Avery gritted her teeth. "If I gave my all in that throw, then I'd be grounded for the rest of my life! Brat!" She only stomped her feet and puffed her cheeks as she left the courts. _Seiichi, save me! _She thought as she headed back to her classroom.

**What do you guys think? Sorry for the late updates. School and stuff came back.**


	9. Tragic Pride, Happy Realization?

**I know guys, I know. This took me forever to write... On the bright side, the Mayans were wrong about the end of the world stuff. Oh yeah, I'm into Tonari no Kaibatsu-kun. I'm glad I was able to update in the midst of these deadly exams and all. **

**For the anonymous review:  
**

**Hala~ Thank you for reviewing in the previous chapters of the story. Can't wait for your feedback.  
**

The warm summer breeze, the fresh scent of newly blooming flowers, the light coming from the sun, Ah! Summer! The vacation started four days ago and most students are enjoying it already. Some went to famous places, local or abroad. Some took this opportunity to review for the upcoming high school entrance exams and some are bored to death because of lack of work. But some…

"Atobe!" Upon hearing his name, Atobe smirked confidently.

"What did you do again, Atobe?" Oshitari asked, sighing as he looked at the furious girl approaching the tennis courts. It was summer, yes, but that doesn't mean that the regulars would just slack off and let their skills deplete. It was part of their training. Three hours of practice every morning and they can do whatever they want after that.

"Ore-sama thinks you're enjoying your visit in ore-sama's abode, Asusagawa. Considering that you come here in daily basis." Atobe chuckled in which he received an attempted punch. Leave it to Avery to do anything violent to anyone who mocks her. _Anyone._

Avery rolled her eyes. "As if I enjoy going here." She murmured. And then gave Atobe a glare. "Just what is this thing that my parents were so excited about?" She asked, clenching her fists, resisting the urge to behead Atobe with her bare hands.

"Why, haven't you heard? Phantom of the Opera will be shown this Saturday." Avery blinked before a smile came to her face. But weekend spent with Atobe isn't that exciting. She shook her head, convincing herself that it was not a good thing.

"What makes you think I'll go?" Avery mentally hit her head on the nearest wall. Curse that pride. She wanted to see that opera badly. But something will come up every time the show will be featured in their country.

And Atobe's smirk widened. "Because you will go with ore-sama."

And Avery decided that no matter what, she won't go.

Oshitari sighed as he watched the girl stormed out of the courts.

O~O~O

And being a human being who also has some pride within her system, Avery refused Atobe's invitation. Atobe rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Come on, little girl!" He grabbed Avery's wrist and almost dragged her towards the balcony where they will be staying. "How come you decided to let your pride take over your system on the last minute?" He asked as he rolled his eyes.

Avery crossed her arms across her chest, like a little brat. "Because," She sent a glare at Atobe. "My parents will be angry at me if I decline your invitation in front of our house, Atobe!" She stated in a matter of fact tone.

Atobe pinched the bridge of his nose when he felt a headache about to erupt. "Are you always this hard to understand?" He sighed.

"Only to the people who refuse to understand me." Avery answered back, much to Atobe's surprise.

For a moment, the two were in a staring contest. The lights had gone off, the curtains on the stage opened. People appeared in the stage with their colourful costumes. The story began. The famous play that Avery was very eager to watch ever since she first read about such masterpiece began. However, it was as if she forgot all about her contained excitement when they were going to the venue because of one person. She gritted her teeth in irritation. _'That little thick headed, idiotic, narcissistic, inso-_

"I'm sorry." Atobe apologized. Whoa! Even the passive Jirou would be awake from his slumber when he heard those words… those holy words coming from Atobe Keigo himself. Avery's mouth opened slightly as she blinked. She stared at Atobe, not knowing how to respond. "Asusagawa?"

"What?" Avery wanted to make sure if she heard it right. Maybe it was the coffee, or too much sweets, or too much thinking about the possible response of Atobe to what she said to him that she didn't hear his words. Yes, that's it.

"I'm sorry." Atobe said with the same tone, the same sincere voice that she heard a while ago. "Yukimura told me that you've always wanted to go and see 'The Phantom of the Opera' ever since you were a kid but didn't have a chance. So I thought that you would like it." Good thing the area was dim or Atobe might have seen the red tainted cheeks of the girl. "You should have told me-"

"Thank you!" Avery cut him off. "Thank you for this, Atobe." And Atobe didn't know the reason for the relaxing feeling he just received.

Atobe cleared his throat and led Avery to her seat, being the gentleman. _Ore-sama forced her. That's right, so this explains the guilt and why ore-sama was glad she thanked me. _He thought as he took his seat on the chair beside Avery's. He took occasional glances at the girl as minutes passed. She seemed to be enjoying it.

O~O~O

For the past days, fangirls kept on ambushing Atobe from anywhere. Oftentimes, when he was outside with his friends. Or worse, when he is having this so called 'date' with Avery that she calls a friendly outing. Truth of the matter, she still was as unpredictable as ever. She would ask questions out of the blue not even related to what they were talking about, but she was not as cold to him when she first met him. Weird… but Atobe liked her company. She didn't emphasize on his status, his fame, and his talents. She would bluntly tell him the things that were inside her head as if she was talking to someone of her level, unlike most people.

Everything about this day was really normal. Normal, being Atobe as narcissistic as usual, Oshitari and his team shrugging it off, a casual meeting with Yukimura and some of his friends, and Avery rolling her eyes when they decided to have a 'friendly match' for the day and she'd end up watching their matches by the bleachers until the summer star appears in the dark sky. Yeah, normal… Weird, but she was amused by this routine.

"Atobe-sama!" Avery didn't bother about fangirls of the people around her. They are quite popular to almost everyone, so it was only natural. Yeah, natural… but, whenever girls flock around Atobe, she would give glares at them and then divert her gaze to the ground as she bit her lower lip. She would tap her foot and wait until something comes up in her head to keep her busy. But that was hard since squealing and screaming and praises were flying in the air, not just for Atobe but for the other regulars as well. She rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Jealousy will eventually turn to envy which is a bad thing." A silver head teen sat beside Avery with a devious playful smirk on his lips. He grabbed a water bottle lying beside the girl and drank the contents.

Avery raised a brow as she watched the known trickster engulfed the contents of the bottle. "What are you talking about, Niou?" She asked, eying the man curiously.

"Red tainted cheeks and glaring at the fan girls. Staring at him with a smile, completely shrugging off his narcissism and-" A bright grin went to Niou's lips.

"It's summer, I can't stand the heat plus the fangirls, and I got used to his narcissism." The girl reasoned, also hoping to herself that, that was the reason. She knew it, those signs. And she's not that naïve or stupid to not know. And frankly, she hated it. She hated that erupting feeling whenever girls would swarm around him and squeal his name. She hated it whenever he would entertain those brats and give them his time of the day. And a certain trickster was now prying it, oh how she hated his intellect.

"Puri~" Niou poked Avery's warm cheeks. His mischievous smirk made the girl glare at him.

Avery gently slapped Niou's arm. "Stop that." She simply said in her calm tone. "Or I'll tell Seiichi that you're bullying me." She threatened which didn't seem to work since Niou still have that mischievous grin on his face. Avery rolled her eyes. "Seiichi!" She called the blue haired teen and immediately caught his attention. "Niou is slacking off, give him laps!" And Niou, knowing that his captain believes Avery's 'objective' judgement, immediately stood up and went back to the courts where Yagyuu was.

A smile came to Yukimura's lips. He remembered the days when Avery was still studying in Rikkai Dai and he would drag her to the courts and sometimes attempt to teach her tennis in which she'd say no because it's too troublesome. And the sight of her waiting by the bleachers at the moment kind of reminded him of her daily routine. If she didn't have any assignments or if she didn't bring any books that caught her interest, either she'd sleep on the grassy fields or glare at the courts and occasionally take a glance on her watch. Yes, she still had it, but somehow this was different. It wasn't like before. There's this happiness in that daily routine that Avery wasn't aware of. But right now, looking at her eyes, Yukimura knew that something was wrong.

Atobe somehow managed to get those fan girls out of the courts. He remembered that he had something to tell to Yukimura so he headed to the said captain of the opposing team. "Yukimura," He stopped on his tracks when he saw that the blue haired teen was staring at Avery, who seemed to be glaring at the ground, with a smile on his lips. He raised a brow at the thought. For a moment, he waited for Yukimura to stir.

Avery looked up and grinned at Yukimura as she waved at him. Yukimura waved back. She then diverted her gaze back to the ground, seemingly analyzing it. "She was treasuring what was left of the time she had without the pressure of her family." He finally said as he turned to face Atobe.

Atobe can see the resemblance between the two now. Both are mysterious people. Just like Avery, Yukimura would say something out of the blue. "Even though she doesn't smile a lot before, the smiles she gave were out of happiness." He added, making Atobe more confused. "Atobe, what do you think of my cousin?"

Atobe blinked in confusion. Somehow, Atobe was caught off guard. He stared at Yukimura for a moment. His mouth slightly opened. Yukimura stared back at him, a little smile on his lips, but he looked at Atobe with a cold stare. When Atobe finally processed what happened, he chuckled. "She's a confusing little girl. You can't predict her, and when you thought that she'd be angry, she'll surprise you." He answered.

Yukimura laughed a bit. "I see." Silence. Atobe opened his mouth to say something but Yukimura spoke first. "So you still don't know the meaning behind those smiles." And before Atobe could respond, Avery was in front of him, pulling Yukimura towards the benches.

"Can we go home now?" She asked like a child, whining. "You guys have been playing since noon. At least let me also have some fun for the remaining hours."

Yukimura chuckled lightly. "How about letting me teach you tennis then?"

Avery pursed her lips. "I'd be dead before I could even start." She responded much to Yukimura's delight. "How about giving me a treat?" She suggested.

Yukimura shook his head. "Adelbert told me that you won't eat dinner if you've eaten sweets. I have a better idea. Let's go to the greenhouse. I'll show you something." Avery's face brightened.

O~O~O

Atobe felt frustrated. Not because of the sun's heat getting to him, or his newly ordered iced tea doesn't taste that good because the ice melted. But after that talk with Yukimura, he realized… he still doesn't know the girl. Sure he could get along with her well. He could tease her until she practically explodes and they would still talk about something after that. She'd get back at him after that. They would give friendly gifts as an apology or as a sign of gratitude, but, he realized he still lacks everything. Yeah, everything. Sure he knows that the girl enjoy eating the cuisine that suits his tastes whenever they are in his so called 'dates', but that doesn't mean she loves it. In fact, she lets him order for her, which is something they usually do.

But still, isn't that only natural? They were put in a situation that is inevitable. They wouldn't even know each other if they came from different class of the society. But still, it bothers him!

Ah! Atobe came to the point where something confuses him, what a surprise! Even he gets bothered by what most people call reality. But that only makes him human, so it's only natural.

Then, that one family friend came along and looked at Avery and him as a couple. A wide grin came to his lips. Atobe knew that Avery had some plan on her mind on how to kill the man who complimented them that they were a cute couple and all. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and, instead, smiled at him.

"I think you two are perfect for each other!" The older man said to the two couples.

Atobe smirked. "Ore-sama only chooses the best for me, Takashi-san. And Asusagawa here, is the best match." He said as he flipped his hair and wrapped his free arm around the petite girl's shoulder. And here goes the 'game,' to quote Avery, which they have to play in front of those people who always pry on their personal life. Atobe is always the best one in this game.

"It's been a while since I've seen that pretty face. You've grown, Avery-chan." Mister Takashi's wife came from behind. "You as well, Keigo-kun." She added.

"Atobe's right, you two are happy as always Takashi-san." Avery neutrally responded. If she could then she would just tell them to 'go away' or something like that. She kept her sweet smile on her face.

The woman in front of them blinked in confusion. "Is something wrong?" Atobe asked.

She shook her head. "No, it's nothing. It's just that, well, it seemed that it's odd. You two are engaged and yet you call each other by your last names."

And Atobe knew that he still lacked something.

Avery cursed inside her head. Why won't they mind their own business?

O~O~O

Yukimura took a peek at his cousin when she hit her forehead on the tree trunk. He gave the seedling a few sprays and then turned to Avery. "Is something wrong, Avery? You've been acting weird since the Takashi's talked to you." He said to the girl.

Avery turned to her. She opened her mouth to say something… anything but she found no appropriate words to express her thoughts. She clenched and unclenched her fists, gasped, pursed her lips, scrunched her brows, and frown, but nothing seemed to make words come out of her mouth. She gave a loud groan. "Well, this sucks!" She finally answered, leaning her palm against the trunk. Lately, she became affected on what the Takashi told them.

She knew that Atobe will eventually be part of her future, but somehow she cannot accept the fact still. But whenever she thought about it, her chest starts to become so painful and she found herself blushing madly. And she knew she was falling for the guy. She's happy every time he can spend time with her. She's happy with the attention she got. She's happy whenever she cannot win against him. She's happy as it was. And for the first time, she was thankful that she returned to Tokyo… but the more that she comes closer to Atobe, she realized that he was the reason why she chose to enter Rikkai more than Hyotei. She drew a sharp breath and turned to Yukimura.

"Seiichi, I think I'm in love." Avery finally said.

Yukimura's eyes widened. He couldn't think of a very suitable response to this. It was the first time she admitted something so personal. And she was honest about it. Finally he opened his mouth to say the words he could tell her. "Huh?"

**I hope you guys like this... Please review!**


	10. Tragic Realization, Happy Acceptance

**An almost new year's update, my dears! **

**I hope you will have a nice year ahead. Oh yeah, I have a Naruto fanfic being written, I hope you guys will check it out.  
**

**I don't own PoT.  
**

**Response to Anonymous Review:  
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**Hala~ I hope she is really mature enough. =.=''' And yes, pride will take over, always.  
**

Avery covered her face with one of the many pillows in her room to muffle her scream out of her irritation and mixed emotions rising. She doesn't know and understand how she was able to say to someone, let alone a close relative, her feelings for someone she plans on getting rid of from the very beginning she had known about the arrangement. _'This is useless.'_ She thought as she stared at the roof of her bed. _'But lately, I haven't got any plan at all.'_ She thought. She shook her head, hoping that those thoughts will leave her, like how luck had been leaving her all the time.

"Avery, is something bothering you?" The old butler placed a cup of coffee on Avery's bedside table. It is something that would soothe her senses, despite how she would complain about the lack bitterness; she would drink all of the contents of the cup and will thank him afterwards.

"Is there something I need to do today?" The black haired girl rose from the bed. She sat by the edge, and rested her hands on her lap.

"Master Seiichi is downstairs waiting for you." Adelbert answered. Avery sighed. "Shall I get him here?"

And Avery knew she needs to have a topic that shouldn't involve her, Atobe or anything about Atobe.

O~O~O

The second semester finally started. Atobe got in the Hyotei Gakuen grounds, his smirk present on his face again. A group of girls approached him again, ignoring some people who they bumped along the way. Most of which were the less sociable beings.

Atobe's eyes travelled to the people around him. A frown adorned his lips when he spotted a familiar face. In normal days, he wouldn't mind it, but somehow, there's this feeling inside that erupted and it ticked him. He saw another man with Avery walking towards the building, casually having a conversation.

Even when he got up his classroom, his mind was still in that incident. He turned to her vacant seat, a glare reaching his eyes. Normally, she would be in the classroom doing stuff that most girls her age found boring, but that moment, no signs of the jet black haired girl were seen.

After morning practices, Atobe found the seat vacant again. Classes started and her seat was still vacant. She arrived thirty minutes late. She nonchalantly made a quick dash to her seat and wrote whatever notes she should have written on her notebook. The teacher turned to the class after scribbling the last of notes on the board.

'_Darn it, Math!_' Avery thought as she copied the notes and decided that she would review it during her break time.

"Glad you could make it, Asusagawa-san." The teacher kindly pointed out how terribly late she was, and kindly made her feel worse. Avery resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She looked up and gave a small smile. "I'm sure you have a good reason as to why you're late." As if to make her feel better, he went in front of her table and looked down on her. "But whatever that was, you knew that we strictly enforce punctuality. I'm sure your parents won't be very happy when they hear about this incident." He smirked and left the poor girl.

Avery grimaced. But she couldn't do anything about it, so she just decided to shrug it off.

O~O~O

Atobe got inside the library and went to the section where he could find the material he needed for the paper. His eyes travelled from one book to another. Then, he grabbed a book from a shelf, leaving a space in between. The other books stayed in place, allowing him to peek through to the other side.

"Do you get it, Asusagawa?" Atobe heard Oshitari's voice. In normal days, he wouldn't mind Oshitari's business but hearing the familiar name caught his interests. He hid behind the shelf of the section and took a peek.

The two of them were close, very close much to Atobe's displeasure. A glare came to his face. Lately, he found himself glaring at whoever man comes close to Avery. Their shoulders were touching, very little to no space was found in between them.

"Could you repeat number two, please?" Avery asked in which Oshitari nodded. Avery took a glance in the area behind her and then put her attention back to the notebook. _'Funny, I thought someone was there.'_ She thought before completely diverting her attention back to Oshitari.

Atobe felt his heart skipped a beat. He hid behind the wooden shelf with a surprised look on his face. He blinked, unsure of what just happened. He swallowed before taking a deep breath. _'Why is ore-sama hiding?'_ He asked, quite confused of his actions. And the odd thing he discovered was that, his cheeks were warm against his palm.

O~O~O

Ever since that library incident, so as Atobe coined, he noticed that Avery and Oshitari were becoming very close than to his liking. Every time the girl would see the tensai, she would ignore Atobe and have a talk with him, much to Atobe's irritation.

"What's wrong, Atobe?" Oshitari finally asked, sensing that something making the king uneasy somehow involves him.

Atobe gave a glare. "Oshitari, do you like Asusagawa?" He bluntly asked the tensai.

Oshitari blinked and sighed. In normal situations he would smile about this, but seeing Atobe's 'look of doom,' he forced himself not to feel amused by this awkward situation. "You know, Atobe-"

Atobe hated it when a person doesn't answer him directly. "Answer my question, Yushi." His tone made Jirou who happened to pass by when he was running laps flinch.

"That's why your fan girls are not respecting your engagement with the girl." Oshitari intentionally muttered for Atobe to hear. His captain raised a brow. "It's how you two address each other. You see, they think you don't give importance to your engagement since you two are formal, and since you are formal with her, they think that you don't give importance to the girl's role in your engagement and how she would feel." Oshitari kindly pointed out, a frown coming to his lips. "You're such an idiot, Atobe." He added.

Atobe's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to say something but Oshitari already left. He cursed the tensai's insight.

O~O~O

Avery was not in the mood for school. And her kind math teacher informed her parents about the incident. She gritted her teeth and sighed. She was scolded, she didn't say anything to her rescue, and her mother gave her a silent treatment for the past days. She was used to it, though, but then again, she doesn't have a peace of mind whenever someone is holding something against her. Closing her book, she rose from her seat and left the library.

She headed to her classroom and bumped to a familiar man along. She gave a curt smile and walked pass the man. Coincidentally, Atobe chose to pass by that corridor. He stopped when he saw Avery.

"Asusagawa-chan!" The man behind Avery called. She turned to him, her back facing Atobe, and smiled at the brunette. Atobe remembered him as the guy who came in school with Avery when she was late for class.

Atobe glared at him. How could he casually call her with that endearment?

"Kisuke-san?" Avery waited for him to say what he wanted to say. She doesn't want to be late for another class, really. "Is something the matter?" She asked.

"About what happened that time, I just wanted to thank you." Kisuke said scratching the back of his head. Avery nodded and then turned to leave. Kisuke grabbed her wrist. "Well, I wanted to say something before you go." He added, letting go of the girl's wrist when he completely got her attention. "You see, I like you." He scratched his cheek with his index finger as he diverted his gaze to the ground.

Avery blinked. "What?" She asked, hoping that she heard the wrong words.

Kisuke gulped and then looked at her with determined eyes. "I like you." He said again.

Avery blinked. She narrowed her eyes and sighed. "You do know about my engagement with Atobe, right?" She bluntly said. The man nodded. "So why?" She asked again. This time, her cold demeanour was present.

Kisuke avoided her eyes. Those eyes were a mystery. They could be pretty but intimidating at times. "Well, it doesn't seem that you two are really dating… and, and I really like you."

'_They think you don't give importance to your engagement.'_ Oshitari's words echoed inside Atobe's head. And he cursed when he knew that the tensai was right. He could imagine Oshitari smirking at the moment.

Avery's brows furrowed. "How could you say that you like me if we just met when I accompanied you to the infirmary?" She asked, clearly being aloof.

Kisuke gave a worried smile. "Well, you are a kind person."

Avery turned her back at him. She didn't let him finish what he wants to say and cut him off instead. "I hate people who judge a person base on their first impressions. Well then, until next time." She coldly said before leaving the man in the corridor.

Atobe was hiding behind the wall. He was able to hide himself just in time before Avery could see him. '_Why is ore-sama hiding?'_ He asked to himself.

O~O~O

Avery woke up in the middle of the night. She could see that the light on the hallway outside her door was open. She got out of the covers and silently walked towards the door. She made sure that the floor wouldn't creak so as not to attract the attention of the people outside. She could make out two shadows.

'_Father's back!'_ Avery smiled. But the smile wasn't long lived. It turned upside down when she heard a yell coming from her father. Then, her mother retaliated with another yell. It went on, until she heard a door far away from her room slammed close. Even though she can't hear it, she knew that they were still exchanging words.

Avery leaned her back against the floor and slid down until she was in a sitting position. She hugged her knees and rested her head on them. _'That's right, I hated this… this is one of the reasons that I ran away to Seiichi.'_

A few days passed by. The temperature was getting lower and lower and lower and lower and lower each day. People who don't have tolerance for cold weather had a lot of layers of clothing in their bodies. The old gardener was still tending to the plants and Avery would help him at times.

The tennis courts remained lively as ever. Squeals were heard, cheers were heard, shouting, yelling and everything that makes a tennis court, a tennis court owned by Hyotei and clearly controlled by none other than Atobe Keigo were there. Atobe took a glance outside the wired fence when Avery passed by. She held a pot of some sort of withering plant.

Avery passed by the tennis courts. She knew who or what everyone was fussing about in that overly narcissistic site in Hyotei, so she didn't take a glance. She ended up in the mini bridge at the back of the old building of Hyotei. The cherry trees were being deprived of leaves. She then turned her gaze back to the withering plant. "You should be happy, you know?" She said to the plant. "Your days in this hateful world will be over and you'll be free. What's more? I once was told that animals and plants all go to heaven." She added sarcastically. "I'm planning on digging a hole for you so that the worms will feast on you, or the grounds will break you down and convert your withered parts into minerals needed by your fellow plants, but-"

"Ore-sama thought that something was wrong with you when you didn't even glance at the courts." Atobe apparently followed her. He chuckled as he flipped his hair. "But now ore-sama knows that there is really something wrong with you." He added as he stood beside her.

Avery leaned her back against the cemented railing of the bridge. Atobe did the same.

The jet black haired girl took a glance at her companion who was smirking as he looked at the gray skies. Last night, before Avery got to bed, she thought of the reasons why she ran away to Seiichi. _'I forgot… Atobe had the highest grade in the entrance exams.'_ She thought as she stared at the ground. Quite the opposite from where Atobe was staring. _'I couldn't bear the thought of having someone defeat me other than my sister. That's why I ran away like a coward.'_ She clenched her fists and bit her lower lip. _'But, I only made him as an excuse to run away from that house… because the truth is, I hate my family.'_ She took a glance at Atobe and then back to the ground.

Atobe noticed the girl was deep in her thoughts. But he knew too well that he should make a move or it might be too late. Oshitari was right about him, even though he didn't want to admit it. He opened his mouth to say something. "Avery," He finally said.

Avery's attention was caught. She turned to Atobe and blinked. Then, she examined the taller teen. "What's up with that?" She asked, trying her best not to chuckle since she doesn't find it amusing but part of her wanted to.

Atobe pinched the bridge of his nose. "Avery. Ore-sama has decided that we'd address each other by our first names, since we're engaged and all." He felt like one of those actors in the European dramas he watched. He tried his best to look calm and cool before her.

The girl resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "What gives you the right to decide on your own?" She asked with a brow raised. "Atobe, you know-"

"Ore-sama told you, first names. Keigo. Call me Keigo." Atobe cut her off.

Avery rolled her eyes. "Atobe, do you know why I'd rather enter Rikkai than Hyotei?" Atobe blinked. "It's not because of my sister. It's because of you." She pointed her index finger at him. "You think highly of yourself. Funny isn't it? When you're high up, you see other things little, but when you stoop low to their level, you'll realize that they are bigger than you are." She said before grabbing the pot and left.

O~O~O

"But Ave-senpai, are you sure it's all right? Buchou is not really agreeing in this kind of training." Kirihara scratched his cheek as he put his racket down.

Avery nodded. "I won't tell him as long as you are not in trouble." She winked at him and raised her index finger to her lips. "This can be our little secret." She added.

Kirihara grinned. But his frown came back upon remembering something. "Senpai, aren't you supposed to spend your weekends with that Atobe guy?" He asked.

Avery waved her hand dismissively at him. "Nope. It's all right, mother and father wouldn't even know. Besides, if Seiichi discovers this, I can cover for you. Now go!" She pointed at the fearsome looking players, the known residents of the street tennis courts who hold a reputation.

"Thanks senpai!" Kirihara ran towards the courts and his match started.

Avery watched the yellow ball being thrown back and forth. '_Yeah, they won't notice that I'm gone, because… things are quite messy at home._' She thought as she leaned her cheek against the palm of her hand. _'And now I am making you as an excuse to run away…'_ She stared at the ground as she adjusted her scarf.

A couple of moments later, a figure overshadowed Avery's. "Ore-sama was told that you'd be here." Atobe's voice came from behind the girl. Avery cursed inside her head. "Let's talk in another place." He offered as he grabbed the girl's wrist. He noticed that she became thinner.

Avery didn't know the reason for her irritation. She pulled her hand with such force that she broke free from Atobe's grasp. "Go away, Atobe. I'm not in the mood." She answered.

Kirihara jogged towards his senpai with a grin on his face. He was to deliver the news of his instant victory. That childlike smile, however, was short lived. He gave a glare at Atobe who was arguing with his senpai. "Oi! What are you doing here, Hyotei brat?!" The seaweed head exclaimed as he ran towards Atobe.

Avery gasped when he heard Kirihara's voice. In a blink, he was in front of her. "Akaya-kun!" She grabbed the boy's arm and pulled him back. "Stay out of this!" She said, scolding him.

Atobe returned Kirihara's glare. "Yeah, you should follow your senpai." He plainly responded. Avery rolled her eyes. "Don't interfere, bird brain."

Kirihara's control snapped. "Why you little-" He folded his sleeves up, ready to give Atobe a punch, however, Avery pulled him back. "Senpai?"

This time, a shiver ran down Kirihara's spine when his eyes saw a glimpse of those red eyes glaring at him. "I told you to stay out of this, Akaya-kun." She coldly said. Even Atobe felt what normal people would call fear. Kirihara relaxed his muscles and stayed back.

Atobe and Avery were staring at each other for a while. Avery was the first one to break the eye contact. She looked away and turned her back. "Let's go home, Akaya-kun." She was about to leave but Atobe grabbed her wrist. She heaved a sigh. "I told you to leave, Atobe."

Atobe rolled his eyes and groaned. He pulled Avery out of the court, giving a glare to Kirihara.

"Akaya-kun, I'll see you next time!" Avery said before she and Atobe were completely out of sight. The poor second year blinked in confusion.

Atobe pulled Avery in a nearby park. It was deserted of people and dried leaves covered the grounds. Avery crouched as she panted. She glared at Atobe for making her jog a long way. She clutched her chest as she tried to catch her breath. _'Darn, I need exercise.'_ She thought. "What do you want?"

Atobe looked at her and then sighed. "You should be with ore…ore… me." He stuttered.

Avery raised a brow. She gave a chuckle mockingly. "Me? What happened to ore-sama?" She asked as she stood straight. Atobe's eye twitched. "Dragging me out here just to show me that you could address yourself normally, how pathetic!"

"You hate being seen as someone who can't do anything, right?!" Atobe lost it. "That's why you don't want me because you think I am only someone who cannot even sympathize." He heaved a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. "If you think that this is a good way of getting rid of ore- me, then you're wasting your effort." He added as he looked at her.

Silence was exchanged between them. The dried leaves on the ground moved slightly with the breeze. Aside from the passing cars, and nature's sounds, nothing can be heard.

Avery adjusted her scarf and took a deep breath. She clenched her fists as she gazed down. "I'm sorry." Atobe's eyes widened. "I won't make any excuse, nor will I say whose fault it is." She muttered, staring at the ground full of leaves. "And I won't deny even the slightest that I want to get rid of you because I do." Slowly, she raised her head and locked gazes with Atobe. "But this time, it's my fault, so please forgive me, Keigo." Atobe's eyes widened. "But that doesn't mean I won't stop my plans on getting rid of you."

Atobe smirked. "And that doesn't mean I won't stop making you stop on getting rid of me." He said making Avery smile.

"What an idiot!"

O~O~O

Oshitari picked a pencil lying on the table. He sat beside Avery who took a glance at him and returned to the papers. "How's your test in math?" He asked.

Avery grabbed something in her bag and showed it to Oshitari. A grin forming on her lips. "Thanks to you, I beat him!"She winked at him and raised her fist in the air.

Oshitari smirked as he adjusted his glasses. "I think both of you have the same score, so technically, you didn't beat him." Avery blinked, unsure whether she was getting the conversation or not. Oshitari blinked, unsure if he said something right. "Did I say something wrong?" He asked.

Avery put a hand on her chin. "Well, he made the exam after all, so we may have the same score." She muttered, shrugging off her excitement. "Oh yeah, thank you for tutoring me-"

Oshitari blinked when the girl was pulled out of her seat. The chair screeched at the impact. He turned his gaze to the figure towering him beside. "Atobe?"

Atobe's smirk was present but Oshitari knew that look well. "I'll treat you lunch, Avery." The tensai raised a brow. "Well then, Oshitari."

Avery removed Atobe's hand from her arm and grabbed her things. She muttered a quick 'thanks' to Oshitari. "Seriously, Keigo! We're in the library so stop pulling out someone whenever you want." She whispered to him with a glare before going ahead. Atobe only chuckled.

"Since when did you call each other by your first names, Atobe?" Oshitari asked with a brow raised.

Atobe rolled his eyes. "Ore-sama doesn't have to update you everytime, Yushi." He left the tensai in the library.

Oshitari blinked and shook his head. He opened his literature book and turned to the page he needed to read. _'I only asked an innocent question.'_ He thought before grabbing his highlighter.

**What do you guys think? Please review and yeah, don't forget to check out my other fanfic, Princess' Duty. You'll like it, I think.****  
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**Happy New Year!  
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	11. Tragic Fear, Happy Confession

**I finally updated! I hope you guys would also check out my new Naruto story, Princess' Duty...**

**Thank you for waiting my dears!  
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**Mistress of Madness~ you need to analyze more  
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**Xxdreamergirl95xX~ I sure hope you keep on tuning in despite your busy schedule.  
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**Hala~ Yes, that's the best normal we could get from him.  
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**I don't own PoT  
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Oshitari read a lot about men falling in love with a fine lady. He thought that it was beautiful, really. Then, he watched movies about those good romances and he sympathized with the leading man. He saw some of his classmates fall in love and confess to the person they like and he could see it in their eyes that they were happy. But every time he looked at Atobe, he felt the opposite. He felt pity for the idiotic guy. He doesn't know but he is an idiot when it comes to this romantic stuff.

Atobe gave him a triumphant smirk. Oshitari rolled his eyes as he got up and went to the bench where his water bottle peacefully lies. He thinks that the king is really an idiot when it comes to having a relationship, Avery sees him as something chivalrous and not what he was thinking, that or he's just frustrated because he lost in a match. He bet on the latter.

The four eyed teen went to the faucet area, where he washed his face. He wiped his face with a towel and for a moment, stared at the running water. Another person came beside him and closed the faucet, much to his surprise. He turned to the person and saw a girl he hasn't seen in about a week or so. She had long black hair that cascaded up to her waist, and a pair of unusually red colored orbs. Her uniform was neatly worn and complimented her pale face. "Asusagawa?"

Avery held on a pot of chrysanthemum. She glanced at Oshitari as she opened the faucet close to her. "You are getting all the water that I need so I turned it off. You're not using it anyway." She informed him in which he nodded. She turned to Oshitari. "Is it me or did you have a hair cut?" She asked. Well, it wasn't that noticeable, but at some point, she was able to notice it.

Oshitari nodded again. "You were the first one to notice." He chuckled.

Avery turned her gaze back to the plant. "I haven't seen you for a while." Her eye twitched upon remembering the reason. The reason? Atobe made sure that both of them wouldn't have contact. Avery was baffled. Atobe would volunteer to teach her math instead of Oshitari. And even if they would come across each other, Atobe would somehow drag Avery out of the way.

Oshitari couldn't help but smirk. "Atobe thinks I have some kind of disease that you might get." He joked. Avery glanced at him and smiled. He blinked. "Is there something wrong?" He asked, sensing the uneasiness in the girl's demeanor.

"He doesn't respect personal space, does he? I think it's my fault that's why he's like that." Oshitari chuckled. "I told him that he should stay at least a meter away from me, and he agreed, as long as other men, Seiichi included, do the same." She stared at the sky as she told the tensai. "He's an idiot." She muttered.

Oshitari nodded. "You said it." He grabbed his racket and went back to the courts. Avery watched him leave.

O~O~O

Atobe was scowling. He held on his cup of warm coffee as he sat on one of the benches under the columns of the birch trees in their school's garden. This scenery and atmosphere should relax him, but knowing that he should sit a meter away from his fiancée who was nonchalantly reading a book on the other bench, one would understand his frustration.

"Avery, why can't I sit beside you?" Atobe asked for the _nth_ time.

Avery turned the book to the next page. She glanced at him and returned her gaze back to the words. "Because I say so. People will think that if you're very near me, it is a public display of affection. I, too, Keigo, hold a reputation. You said you don't want men near to me, right? I believe you are part of the male species." She added.

Atobe scowled. He rolled his eyes in irritation. "I imposed the one meter rule to other men." He said.

Avery closed the book and turned to him, heaving a sigh. "You imposed the meter rule to my cousin, as well, Keigo. So I'm imposing it to you, too." She replied as she rolled her eyes. "How many times should we discuss about this?" She asked, slightly fed up.

Atobe's brows furrowed. "Fine, your relatives are exempted."

Avery opened the book again. A small smile was formed on her lips, quite satisfied with the conversation's outcome. "Accepted." She muttered and scooted over. Atobe smirked and sat beside her.

But of course, when a good thing happens, bad things will eventually follow. That's just how life works. When Avery finished the chapter, she and Atobe went up the building. As they climbed the flight of stairs, the book fell from Avery's hands. Atobe raised a brow as he picked the book for her. Their hands accidentally touched.

Atobe's brows furrowed and his lips turned into a frown. He pulled the book to him.

Avery raised a brow. "Keigo." She reached out her hand, asking for the book.

Atobe shook his head. "I'll get some hot drink to warm your hands. Wait for me upstairs." He told her before leaving.

Avery stood by the hallway, waiting for Atobe who went back to the cafeteria to get some warm drinks. She needed it since she couldn't feel her hands. Despite the multiple layers of clothing she wore, Avery's hands remained cold because she didn't have anything to cover it from the cold, sadistic autumn breeze. A group of men approached her.

Oshitari sighed when he reached the floor of his classroom. A group of men, who always tried, tried mind you, to overthrow Atobe from his throne, approached Asusagawa, his rumoured fiancée. The brunette among the group, their leader, also came from a rich family. His name is Kenji Rey. He leaned his hand against the wall, just beside Avery's face and bent slightly to her level.

Avery glanced at the hand and then turned to Kenji. She raised a brow. "Can I help you?" She tried to be civil. Despite the fact that she wanted to punch the man's face with all her might, she gave him a smile.

Kenji smirked. "Asusagawa-san, why are you here alone?" He asked.

Oshitari decided to watch for the mean time. He will take action if something really bad happens.

Avery pushed Kenji's arm and moved to an open space, where no one could corner her. "What's wrong with me being alone?" She asked, putting a hand on her chin, pretending to be thinking.

Kenji frowned but it was immediately swept by a smile. "Nothing, I just thought that Atobe-san is a gentleman."

Avery raised a brow. She chuckled. "You know, you shouldn't approach me if you have business with him, because frankly, I don't care." She answered, in which Oshitari smirked in amusement.

Kenji wrapped an arm on Avery's shoulder. She mentally threw a punch to the man. "But you know, it's improper, leaving his fiancée here." He whispered.

Avery rolled her eyes. "Do you think I won't find my classroom if he's not with me?" She asked, still coating her voice with sweetness. "I am not a little kid, Kenji-san."

"Kenji, are you harassing students again?" Oshitari's smirk widened upon hearing Atobe's mocking voice. He held a can of hot tea on one of his hands. "Ore-sama told you many times before, if you have business with ore-sama, say it directly. Don't use other people in your bitter plot." He hissed.

Kenji's smirk widened. He pulled Avery closer. Avery didn't like the invasion of her personal space. She rolled her eyes and elbowed Kenji's chest. The taller boy pulled his arm from the girl's shoulder, wincing in pain. It wasn't that strong but the surprise attack caught him off guard. He underestimated her.

Avery spun on her heel and promptly walked away from the group, and Atobe. "I'll go ahead, Keigo." She said giving a wave, without bothering to look back. She hated it, how people underestimated and overestimated her. Though her body is not equipped for physical activities, she still knew a thing or two about defending herself against men such as those she just encountered.

"Wait a second, Asusagawa-san." Kenji had a sinister smile on his face. He chased the girl, and grabbed her hand. Avery pulled it back, immediately. "How about walking you to your classroom?"

Atobe's eyes narrowed. The meter rule wasn't being imposed. But that aside, he had enough of the stupidest man he met. His grip on the can tightened.

Oshitari's attention was abruptly caught when Atobe raised the can and threw it. "Oi, Atobe!" He turned to the direction where the can was thrown.

Kenji, thanks to his peripheral vision, dodged the offending object. But that didn't mean that there were no casualties.

Avery felt something warm, painfully touched her head. From the open space passage, her eyes adorned the newly mopped shinny floor. She didn't move for a moment. She bit her lip, as anger erupted in her senses.

Atobe and Oshitari rushed to her. Kenji didn't hide his amusement, and loudly chuckled. Both tennis regulars glared at him.

"How clumsy of you, Atobe!" He exclaimed.

Avery stared at the can that rolled back to her and stopped when it came in contact with her shoes. She picked it up and gripped on it tightly. She slowly turned to the group of men behind her, red eyes almost looked as if they were glowing out of rage. "Keigo, from now on, stay at least ten meters away from me." She hissed. Even Kenji's smile vanished out of fear.

"Right, Asusagawa-san, Atobe did throw that to you." Kenji pointed in which Atobe glared.

"Kenji-san," Avery raised her head and turned to him, her glare more frightening. "From now on, make sure that we wouldn't be crossing paths, because the next time I see you," She threw the can to Kenji, intending that it will miss him. However, the impact was so strong that a breeze was formed. "This hard tin wouldn't miss its target." She hissed.

O~O~O

Avery heaved a heavy sigh. She watched as the leaves were blown by the cold breeze, something that she would do when biographies and history books weren't enough to keep her mind stalled. She knew it was an impulsive decision. But Atobe respected that nonetheless, but she could still hear the narcissistic comments from the man. She rested her head on her knees, and closed her eyes. _This is bad._ She thought.

The game… she was losing it. No, she already lost it. She lost when she admitted to herself and to Seiichi that she was in love. She knew this wouldn't end up like the stories that most people wrote and admired in those novels that she doesn't bother reading. She knew that this would end up like those poems Edgar Allan Poe wrote. What was she thinking? Letting her guard down, and succumbing to those emotions that she had long forgotten.

Avery didn't know if Atobe felt the same way. She knew that it was absurd thinking of it like that. And the games… she played them because she was confident that she will win. But, she wasn't sure why this time? She forgot how humans were weak against these unexpected events. She hated it.

She sat up and turned to the books beside her. If onlythe Spanish Armada would help her in her current predicament, then, then she wouldn't be stuck with this problem. And even the company of her well loved history books weren't enough to cheer her up anymore.

A soft sigh escaped her lips. She looked up.

Her bookshelves were filled with historical accounts. Books, monographs, thesis, as long as it was about history, and social sciences, it was there (other than the required books in high school). She loved it that way. She learned the experiences of great people, learned from their mistakes, and see how they fell because of their own actions. And she realized that her downfall was when she made _that _game.

_How can I get rid of this emotion? _She winced when she touched a certain bump on her head. The pain subsided, but it was still present.

Maybe that ten meter rule was a good thing. So she could get rid of someone clouding her sights towards her goal.

Avery's eyes widened. Her mouth hung agape when her mind shouted a question that was more important than her current predicament. _What is the goal?_

O~O~O

Atobe's eye twitched when Kabaji handed him a can of hot coffee. He gave a glare to the taller teen, quite disappointed with him. "Why did you give ore-sama this kind of coffee, Kabaji?" He asked, clearly speaking out his irritation.

Kabaji pointed at the café, void of people, no lights turned on, and a sign which says it was closed for business, across the courts. Atobe pursed his lips and grudgingly opened the can. He still needed the bitter taste of coffee.

But since that incident, he hated everything, anything that comes in a can. A can of sardines, a can of juice, a can of softdrinks, a can of some fish, a can of some preserved meat, a can of fruits, et cetera. Some, he doesn't even know the taste since he doesn't eat one. But even though he hadn't seen it, as long as it is canned, he loathed it.

Because of one simple drink, she didn't talk to him for the rest of the week. And the ten meter rule was strictly imposed.

He remembered the game… the game that she made him play. He was supposed to make her fall in love with him and not the other way around. He hated it.

But alas, Atobe is a human, though a king. Emotions are still part of him despite his unquestionable huge ego. And those emotions meddled with his game and made him love the girl. The girl whom he thought would be like any girl. The girl who proved him wrong. She didn't address him as 'Atobe-sama,' or would pry on his affairs. She's not the type who would scream that she's Atobe's fiancée, and she's the kind that would think of things logically, objective judgement, and seldom uses subjective. She's the kind that would tell him stories about heroes, people who were named in newspapers, nonfiction books, and authors, and not those characters of the typical romance novels.

She wouldn't blush or stutter in front of him whenever they talk. She doesn't follow him wherever he goes. And there's a huge line separating his fangirls and his type of girlfriend. And funny, whenever he opens a topic about tennis, she wouldn't compare him to well-known players that compete worldwide or let alone in the nationals, she would happily say something about the game itself, like who first used it, imposed it as a game of the royals, the history and all sorts. She tells that to him, as if she was just telling a story.

"Good aim, Gakuto!" Oshitari complimented the red head loudly.

Atobe rolled his eyes. The memory of his perfect aim came back. That aim was perfect; it's just that, Kenji's eyes luckily saw it.

Mukahi ran to Oshitari's side of the court. He stared at the mark left by the ball on the white line. A wide grin came to his lips. "Good thing I hit it, unlike last time. The ball just passed by the target, the trick was just the way I move my wrist. Thanks a lot, Yushi!" The red head beamed.

Atobe knew how Avery's body is weak in physical activities. And her back was facing them, so she wasn't the kind to dodge that easily. He groaned.

"But, you know, you're lucky you were able to dodge it, the last minute. It will be very serious if you didn't-"

"Mukahi, run twenty laps, now!" Atobe snapped.

Mukahi blinked. He gave Atobe a glare and opened his mouth to protest.

Atobe didn't give him a chance to even utter a single letter. "Forty laps!" He exclaimed.

Oshitari shrugged when Mukahi turned to him, seeking for answers to the unspoken questions. The red head complied, cursing under his breath.

Atobe sat on the bench, giving up. Oshitari chuckled as he watched Mukahi. "You didn't have to punish him, you know." He said to Atobe.

O~O~O

Yukimura's club activities were suspended for the afternoon for important faculty matters. The students were asked to go home. He took this opportunity to visit Tokyo. He got off the train, his tennis bag hanging on his shoulder.

His cousin would not join any club activities. They agreed to meet on a sweets shop, the one where she would treat him whenever he was in Tokyo. She would insist that he should have more sugar so that his brain would be more cooperative. A small smile came to his lips at the sudden memory.

He reached the said shop, and he easily spotted the girl with jet black hair and those rare eyes. He didn't bother calling for her, and just sat opposite her instead. His eyes took interest in the notebook that was making Avery busy. Chemistry, he thought dreadfully.

She looked up, and a grin appeared. "Seiichi!"

Yukimura smiled. "I hope this isn't violating the one meter rule, Ave." He teased.

Avery rolled her eyes. "It was dissolved, anyway." She informed. She closed her notebook and kept it inside her bag. "It's good to see that you're not just spending your afternoon in the courts." She said, leaning her cheek against the palm of her hand.

Yukimura smiled. "It's good to see that you're not spending your afternoon with the school gardener." He replied.

Avery's eyes narrowed. "You said that I should make friends." She answered. "That aside, it's unusual for you to be here."

Yukimura turned to the displayed cakes. "I just want to spend my afternoon like how we used to when you were still with us." He answered, eying a cake beautifully decorated.

Avery raised a brow. "Like how you would never give up teaching me tennis no matter how many times I couldn't return the ball?" She asked flatly.

Yukimura chuckled. "We can do that if you want to." Avery opened her mouth to protest but her thoughts seemed to be unorganized for her to speak it out. He unzipped his bag and looked for something. He grabbed his art notebook, picked two hard papers and showed them to Avery. "I'm thinking about dragging you in an art exhibit. You'll like it. There were paintings about wars and the different periods of Japan and the world's history."

O~O~O

Atobe sat on the Student Council Room's couch that he loved so dearly. It was like an oasis in the middle of the desert for him. And a lot of paperwork was still coming. He massaged his temples to prevent the erupting head ache.

He leaned his head against the hard wood and stared at the ceiling. Just a few months ago, his flytraps died. They weren't really fitting in that environment since they are used to grow in swamps. Atobe shook his head. He shouldn't be distracted about it. He sat straight and pinched the bridge of his nose. "That girl…"

Just a few months ago, he received a bouquet of flowers coming from the girl as gratitude. A few months ago, they started this game. A few months ago, they would just talk about something random… away from their personal lives and that made them comfortable. A few months ago, he could easily read her and tease her. A few months ago, they were just classmates.

But lately, they address each other by first names. He addresses himself normally in front of her. He felt happy whenever he could help her. He felt jealous whenever someone would look at her like the way he does. He would be furious if someone hurt her.

Atobe groaned in irritation. He got up, grabbed his things and slammed open the door of the room.

O~O~O

Art exhibits isn't only a place for aspiring artists. It was also a place for most couples on a date, students who has a homework that needs to be done, children who were attracted, businessmen who took interest in the paintings and sculptures that were to be auctioned, historians that appreciated this certain period of history, et cetera.

True enough, Avery loved the place. There were replicas of Athena's sculpture in Parthenon, dioramas of the Trojan war, paintings of the age of exploration, replicas of the famous paintings of the well-known artists during the medieval era and the renaissance, Edo's shinsengumi, Tokogawa Ieyasu's uniform, the dispute between him and Sanada Yukimura, Hikaru Genjo, his wife, et cetera.

Avery and Yukimura stopped and examined a painting of Napoleon's defeat in Waterloo. Yukimura was amazed by the painter's use of lines and shadings, while Avery was amazed on how the picture narrated that part of history for her.

"Napoleon's last battle… Waterloo, the place that he must had loathed during his exile. There are rumors, though." Avery started. She put her hands behind her back and stared at the picture. Yukimura turned to her with a brow raised. "Napoleon was poisoned, thanks to arsenic. Some chemists found traces of the kind that they use in inheritance powder. But, I think Napoleon got depressed. And through that depression, his great insight in battle became clouded, that he didn't see who to trust."

Yukimura wasn't the kind to know the compounds used in that certain powder. In fact, he wanted to forget it. He and chemistry just don't complement each other. Funny how he could easily understand the books that he read, interpret the works of art present in every building, memorize events as if they happened when he was there, but gets a hard time in chemistry.

"Funny isn't it?" Avery turned to Yukimura, blinking as she waited for him to say something. "We see things in different ways. For instance, you see this painting as something that would be reason for Napoleon's death." He paused, savouring the sight of the detailed painting. "While I see it as a work of a person with very great and steady hands." He added.

"You know, I think there is a hidden message in those words, Seiichi." Avery narrowed her eyes, waiting.

Yukimura sighed. "Things like this bring out what we really are."

Avery chuckled. "No. It's when we face death that brings out what we really are. Things like this only bring out how we think." She raised her index finger to her lips. "And sometimes, if you knew that people doesn't like what you think, you remain silent because you don't want to be rejected."

And Yukimura only laughed. This really brings back old times.

O~O~O

Avery watched as the train left the station. She turned to the exit, only to be stunned by a familiar gray head. Her mouth slightly gaped open. "Keigo?" She muttered.

Atobe knew that he should follow the ten meter rule, but how in the bloody hell could he talk to her? He came to a conclusion. And he just wanted to tell her how he feels. And after that, he would leave his broken pride behind, with her. He wasn't an idiot. He knew that the girl hates him, if not loathes him. "I" He panted, slightly surprised on how nervous he was.

Avery blinked. Now that there were only a few people on the station, the autumn breeze started to be felt. She put her hands in the pocket of her coat, hoping that she could feel them some time later. "Keigo, this isn't the-"

Atobe put a finger on her lips, effectively silencing her. Avery mentally cursed his effect on her. "Look, I came here just to say something." He slipped his hand down from her lips. His hands clutched the girl's shoulders and slightly bent to her level. He took a step closer. "I won't bother you if you'd say that I've to leave. Just listen, got it?" He sounded so desperate. It was as if Aristotle lost his philosophy and she was the key to getting it back. Avery could only nod. "I like you… and I won't say why I like you, or those long speeches. I won't force you to feel the same way, I'm simply telling it to you." A pause and then he said, "Just tell me if you want me to leave."

Avery gasped. Black meets red. She was stunned for a moment. A strand of hair was covering her eyes, and frankly, she wished that her bangs would cover her eyes. And it was the first time that she resented having a twenty-twenty vision, and loathed her keen observation. She might have felt better if Atobe's eyes had some deceitful glint in them, but they don't.

She could feel her cheeks burn up. Curse that hormone oxytocine! She wanted to let him know her feelings as well. Her mouth hung agape. Her hands clutched her chest. Her heart beat rapidly. What was this, a confession perhaps? But it was unexpected.

She wanted to tell him that she like… no love him. yeah, love. She licked her lips and gathered all the courage she could gather. "I guess losing a friend like you is like losing a war." She smiled. "The ten meter rule is dissolved." She simply said, removing Atobe's hands from her shoulders.

Atobe looked at her face, a smile that she always gives him present. And somehow, he was not contented with that smile. That smile has some unspoken messages within them. He wanted a smile that reaches her eyes. A smile that will make even him happy. But he knew that, that smile was the best one she could give to anyone at the moment. His face lit up.

"I don't want to lose a person such as you, Keigo." Avery's smile almost reached her eyes… nearly what Atobe wanted. And he never felt more selfish when he wished that he wanted to see her smile as if she would laugh her heart out.

Atobe could only return the smile. Forgetting his pride for a moment was worth it. He grabbed the girl's wrist. "I'll take you to your home. It's getting late."

Avery could only nod. She stared at her wrist gripped by Atobe's hand as they walked out of the station. A pang of regret hit her, but it was too late. She can't bring back that time. The only words that she didn't regret saying were the last ones. She looked down. _I'm such a coward._ She thought. If she had said that she loves him, would things be different? The thought of being disappointed because of losing someone and the pain it will inflict scared her. She didn't want to feel pain again.

She could only hope that, that was the best decision. She slipped her wrist and held Atobe's hand back.

Atobe found himself smiling out of nowhere.

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**Hope you guys will review! And pray that my next chapter will be out soon... I have exams in my major subjects coming and I'm not sure if I can get out of our room alive after that. **

**Your reviews might revive my fallen soul, my dears! Teehee!  
**


	12. Tragic Meeting, Happy Gift-giving

**Guys, new update! Huzah! I still live on after that torture that is called an exam!**

**I still don't own PoT even if I live on.  
**

**But still thank you for you guys, consistently reviewing this chapter. And thank you to those who followed this story and added to their lists of favorites.  
**

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The smiles, the constant change on how Atobe addresses himself, the way he would glance behind the wired fence just to see if she was watching or not… everything was noticed not only by Oshitari's keen eyes but also by his teammates… Ohtori was happy for his senpai. He was such a gentle and kind hearted boy after all. But Shishido felt the opposite way. He was irritated about it. He hated it. And he hated it most when Atobe would show off just to impress a girl who wasn't even interested in the game.

"The more you entertain that feeling, the more that you will just hate it, Shishido." Oshitari advised as they ran their morning laps. Shishido glanced at him, maintaining his pace. "Just don't mind him." The tensai added.

Shishido rolled his eyes. "He might be out of focus." He simply said with a low grunt.

Mukahi rolled his eyes. "Careful, Ryo. If he hears that, he'll challenge you in a match to show off again." He said with a smirk. Of course, the red head was being careful for Atobe not to hear what he was to say. If Atobe heard, then another match will occur.

This seemed to be an ordinary day in Hyotei Gakuen. However, for Avery, this day, this week, wasn't an ordinary one. She hated being acknowledged by someone, let alone some king in the court dedicating his match for her… all for the sake of the game and their father's expectations.

Just so she could get out of the prying eyes of people, the persistence of Atobe's friends slash co-tennis regulars, and even Coach Sakaki and some teachers who really care about Atobe Keigo's welfare, she stayed in the rooftop every break time. Despite the chilly autumn breeze, she endured the cold just to get away with those Atobecentric people. She held a book on her hands, her eyes glued to the clouds.

Last month, during Atobe's birthday, she purposely gave him a flytrap again, in which he looked so disappointed. She smiled triumphantly, knowing the he would be. But, that flytrap has another message. Not just being deceitful… it has something to do with its evolutionary process that Avery appreciates.

From the courtyard, a lot of people were running towards the courts area. Avery rose from her seat and peeked on the commotion. She expected some sort of match being held. A match that was interesting, like regular versus regular sort of game. She sat on the cold tiled floor again and went back reading her book. A collection of monographs by various historians in the world.

O~O~O

Weeks passed and the cold breeze grew colder, and colder, and colder, and colder, and it will eventually grow colder, and colder, and colder.

Of course, for Avery, it will be the same. The cold air plus the colder treatment of people equals perfect time to ruin the day. She wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

She stared at the gift, beautifully decorated with well-designed glossy paper. She grimaced at the thought of wasted trees for the wrapper. She didn't care what was inside, however, what bothered her was the attention Atobe's fangirls were giving her. It wasn't the typical cold type of behaviour. It was, sadly, the type in which she'd be their errand girl. They would approach her kindly, and then they would ask her to give to their _Atobe-sama_ this gift. Oh the nerve! The colder treatment just had its way.

"How about throwing it?" Avery's attention was caught by the male that said those words from behind. The man took upon himself to sit beside the girl, without even asking for permission. He grabbed the gift from her and examined it carefully.

"It's for you, Keigo." Avery informed. He still skeptically examined the thing in his hands. "Some girl wanted me to give it to you." She added.

Atobe threw the gift to the trash bin nearby. His aim was perfect. Avery grimaced at the wasted time, effort if there even was, money, and trees. _Vain._ She thought.

Silence adorned their presence. Avery took a sip from her hot coffee. "Why'd you throw it?" She asked. Atobe remained silent. He turned to her with a serious expression. "It's fine if you don't want to answer." She told him.

The ever famous Atobe Keigo smirk appeared on his face. "Are you afraid that I might accept it?" He asked, teasingly.

Avery never failed to surprise Atobe when she simply took a sip from her coffee. She grabbed the book and turned to the page she was previously reading. "Nope. Throwing it was worth watching." She answered with a small smile on her face. She glanced at Atobe who had his smirk widened.

"If they really wanted to give that to me, they should not ask you to give it." Before Avery, Ohtori was the one that they would ask. Of course, the boy was too kind for these kinds of people to mess with. But even if Atobe sternly told him that they should be given to the 'receiving section' and not directly to him, they would still harass Ohtori. Poor boy...

"They are expecting that you would at least look at what's inside." Avery wasn't the kind to pry, but she got curious. Yukimura would kindly accept it, despite her protests not to. He would even open them with her, and if it was something that he didn't like, he would give it to anyone who needs it. And anyone, meaning to his family members, their staff, or to his friends. He said that it was rude, and a waste if he would just throw it away. For Atobe, however, it was nothing. Avery concluded that he is just someone who doesn't care for the trees, or the wrapper.

"Then it's their fault for expecting. They just let themselves be disappointed over nothing." Atobe rolled his eyes as he grunted. "And I'm hoping that it is not a flytrap." He scoffed.

Avery chuckled. She turned to Atobe with a grin. "You know, you should be flattered." Atobe gave her a glare. She raised both her hands in defence. "Must I tell you that I chose the best quality of such plant? I put effort in that gift. And when I was carrying that, I have to be careful, since when an insect goes to its way, I will be surprised that the plant is hurling its leaves to me. It was something not funny." She waited for Atobe to scoff, to laugh, to say something, or do anything.

Atobe raised a brow. "You could have given me a dandelion. I am sure that I am happy with that."

Avery pouted. "What an over demanding brat!" She exclaimed.

"I am Atobe Keigo, after all." Avery laughed. Atobe also laughed.

O~O~O

After three days of thinking, overused sensory receptors, overkilled dendrites gathering messages and exhausted axons sending those logical reasons to Atobe's mind about the possible reasons, Atobe finally decided to approach the girl about his feelings. "Avery," He called in which she simply hummed in response. "Why did you give me a flytrap?"

Avery smiled and closed her book. She put it on the space beside her and turned to Atobe, her attention given to him only. She leaned her elbow against her knees and slightly bent forward, leaning her cheek against the palm of her hand. "Keigo, what would you want me to give you for your birthday?" She asked.

Atobe thought of something... shirts were overrated, some sort of manly jewelry was acceptable but he isn't the type to have one, something about tennis is affordable. After a few seconds, he came up with something that he could relate to the gift. "Perhaps another kind of flower would be nice. Like irises, or camellia, or roses."

Avery only chuckled. Atobe didn't know the reason for that, but it wasn't some sort of amusement chuckle. It was a chuckle that suggested that she was expecting that kind of answer... a knowing chuckle. "Don't you think, if we'll look closely, you would have accepted the flytrap if not for the despicable evolutionary adaptation? They are just the same. Flytraps and Irises. Their appearances only differ, and flytraps are more amazing than irises." She told him.

Atobe remained silent. He waited for her to elaborate those thoughts. "Flytraps were introduced in an environment that was deprived of sunlight. Mostly, they could be seen in swamps. Irises are loved by people. They are seasonal plants. They wither after a span of time. Flytraps don't easily disappear unless there are outside conditions. They eat insects as a means to get energy and undergo photosynthesis. There are outgrowths in the epidermis in their leaves that informs them that an energy source is nearby." Atobe only looked at her and she stared back.

Avery heaved a sigh. "You see, flytraps are just like irises. They also undergo photosynthesis, just as how humans also work hard to achieve something... only some judge them by their looks, their status, and the place where they come from, and not by what a person does." A pause and then, "It's just the same, if not, the one hated may be better."

_It's just the same..._ Her words kept on repeating inside Atobe's head. As if it was a chant of some sort.

"Am I wrong for judging?" Atobe asked.

Avery glanced at him. "We really don't know what is the right or wrong thing in this world. You simply asked for the reason why I gave you such plant. I thought you might have interpreted it. I overestimated you, perhaps." She diverted her gaze to the ground. A few weeks from now, these scattered leaves would be covered with white things precipitated from the skies. Snow.

O~O~O

Atobe didn't know the reason but he would tend the plant each day before going to school and upon returning home. Of course, he still hated to admit that hated it when the plant would eat an insect. Sometimes, the plant's action would stun him. His senses were just too sharp, that or the plant was really messing with him since it came from Avery. He was betting on the latter.

"Atobe-san, your clay-" His classmate pointed at the piece of clay that was supposed to be a cup.

"Thanks." Atobe grimaced at how it looked like a piece of rock that was thrown in molten lava. His focus was out today. He had nothing against home economics. It's just that something was bothering him, and he could imagine that plant laughing at this very hour. He cleaned up his mess and brought another batch of clay in his work area.

"Making a cup is something that I wouldn't want to do in the future." Avery hissed as she guided the clay's figures as it spun around. She grimaced when the figure was being not cuplike with her already not cuplike cup. Her cup failed at being a cup and if it failed at being a cup, then she would fail this activity. "How I wish Seiichi is here!" She muttered as she grabbed a handful of clay.

The class ended. Avery was able to improvise. From a not cuplike cup to an almost cuplike cup to a cuplike cup of a little baby. But that was one of the best cups made since she did well with the decorations. The teacher graded those cups and then gave it back to the students for their hardwork. Avery was very happy about that cup. She made a call to Seiichi and told him that she'd give something.

But as for Atobe, he had a lot of cups for coffee. Personalized, perfect just for him. He didn't need another one. He went to the rooftop, where most likely Avery was.

He shut the door close and sat beside the girl who fell asleep. He watched her, intending to wake her up but seemed that he cannot order his arms to move. Curse those dendrites not functioning well! How complicated it is to send a message to his arm to move?

Finally, Atobe's arm move. But it wasn't for waking her up... it was for tucking a loose strand of hair, that might wake her up from her slumber due to irritation, behind her ear. And then, Avery's head leaned against Atobe's shoulder. She was in deep slumber. For a moment, Atobe didn't move, unsure of the current situation. Then, a soft smile came to his lips. He held on the girl's shoulder and let her lie on his lap.

And the moment came where she woke up. Avery slowly opened her eyes and saw a blur figure of someone watching her. Her mouth hung agape as her vision adjusted. Then, the image got clearer and clearer. Atobe smirked as she stared at him. Avery rose up, blushing madly. "What are you doing?!"

The tranquillity in the area vanished. Avery practically grabbed all of her things, threw them to her bag and hurriedly stood up. "I demand an explanation!" She exclaimed, surprising Atobe. He blinked when she just dashed towards the door. "After I finish my Greek homework!" She opened the door and leaped down the stairs, and ran to her classroom. Her urge to sleep overpowered her senses at the most crucial time.

Then, she remembered that the first thing that she saw when she woke up was Atobe's face. A blush erupted on her cheeks. She grimaced at the thought of her blushing just because of him.

O~O~O

Luckily, Avery finished the last sentence of her Greek homework before the teacher arrived and collected it before classes begin. She arranged her things inside her bag so that it will not be bulky just like before. A cup was placed on her table. Not just any cup, but the cup that was chosen by the teacher as the best cup in class during Home Economics. She raised a brow as she raised her head, expecting Atobe with his confident smirk on his face.

"A gift." The silver haired teen simply said.

Avery's mouth hung agape. _A gift?_ She thought as she stared at the black cup, designed with a lone brown, sturdy branch of a cherry tree with a lone flower blooming, despite the background that suggests the start of the winter season. Simple and yet eye-catching. If Yukimura was there, Avery was sure that he'd envy Atobe. "For what?" She finally asked.

Atobe shrugged. "Nothing in particular." He answered. Avery gave him a look of disbelief. Atobe sighed. "Let's just say that it is my 'thank you' gift for the flytrap."

Avery smiled. "The message is pretty obvious in this picture, Atobe." She took the cup on her hands, and examined it. "A lone flower trying to survive in the winter's harsh weather." She informed. "I'd rather interpret it as a flower eagerly waiting for winter to come for it to bloom, and not just in the overrated spring time."

Atobe just gave her a knowing smirk. A smirk that has this glint in his eyes that Avery knew that it wasn't what he was expecting. He shrugged again. Avery raised a brow. "Club activities. I'll tell you some other time. But, I like your second interpretation." He told her, before leaving the room.

Avery was left inside the room, quite dumbfounded. She glanced at the cup and then looked back at the door, despite Atobe not being physically present. His aura seemed to leave traces of him in the door. "Some other time, huh?" She muttered as she diverted her gaze to the cup. "I wonder..."

_Tennis Courts..._

Oshitari adjusted his glasses, and focused his sight on the target in the wall. He threw the ball in the air and served. The wall was his formidable opponent. He swung his racket, returned the ball without problem, and the wall seemed to scream in agony about the new scar slash dirt being painted.

He went back to the courts. A match between Shishido and Mukahi was taking place. Atobe, at this time, should be in the tennis courts, but no signs of the king were seen. He was not sitting on his favourite bench, not outside the courts doing some laps.

Jirou rubbed the sleep away from his eyes. "Yo, Oshitari!" He sleepily said.

Oshitari sighed. "Jirou, you need to stop that habit of sleeping." He said but he knew that it was hopeless.

"I know but, you see I cannot." Jirou answered with a grin. "Atobe is fine with it." He added.

"Senpai," A silver haired younger teen called from behind. Both older teen turned to him with a questioning look in their eyes. "Coach Sakaki wanted to talk with buchou but I can't seem to find him. Do you, by any chance, know his whereabouts?" He politely asked, scratching the back of his neck, as if he was ashamed that he disturbed his two senpai's conversation.

Oshitari and Jirou looked at each other. The kansai teen shook his head.

"I haven't seen him, yet." Jirou answered.

"Go back to training, Ohtori. I'll look for him." Oshitari offered.

Ohtori shook his head. "It's fine senpai."

"No, Atobe gave you a workout. He'd be angry if you don't follow it." Oshitari insisted.

"Thanks, senpai." Ohtori responded.

Oshitari searched around the campus. From the tennis court to the garden, from the garden to each building of the school. Finally, he reached the Student Council room. He made three customary knocks on the door and waited for Atobe to answer. He gave another three knocks and then waited. The third batch of three knocks accidentally opened the student council door. He entered the room, thinking that Atobe was inside but he wasn't. The room had the typical organized piles of papers and folders, and a lone pen lied on the table, however, the room lacked Atobe Keigo.

Oshitari went back outside and closed the door of the student council room and heaved a sigh.

"Oshitari-san?" A familiar voice made Oshitari abruptly turn to the owner. "Is something wrong?"

Oshitari shook his head. "It's just that Atobe is missing. Have you seen him, by any chance?" He asked the black haired girl.

Avery put a finger on her chin. She shook her head. "Last time I've seen him, he said something about club activities." She informed him. Oshitari only nodded. "Have you tried calling him?" She asked.

"His phone seemed to be turned off." Oshitari informed. "Of all times…"

"I'll look for him. This seems to be an important matter." Avery offered. Oshitari was about to protest but the girl didn't give him the chance to. She was already far when the information about looking for Atobe processed in Oshitari's mind.

Avery was out of the school grounds when she stopped for air. She was panting and was very, very tired. Running wasn't really her sport… heck, she has no sport at all. _Pathetic! _She thought as she gulped air. She passed by the busy shopping area, heading to one of the buildings that the Atobe Companies own. He might be called for an important business affair. _That must be it!_ She said to herself.

After passing by a few blocks, Avery stopped. Across the side-walk she was in, was her favorite cake shop. She panted, again due to exhaustion. She'd never be good at any sport. She looked up and saw a silver haired man, sitting in one of the tables of the shop. A smile was brought upon Avery's lips.

The waiter, blocking the area opposite Atobe's moved. A girl with long curly brunette hair, distinct emerald eyes and fair skin sat across Atobe's seat. She seemed to be telling something to Atobe in which he was amused. He was smiling.

For a moment, Avery felt her heart stopped beating, figuratively. Her chest seemed to be too tight. A soft smile came to her lips and she left.

O~O~O

Avery arrived home. The guard gave her permission to enter the gates. She was knocking at the front door. Adelbert opened it, surprise unhidden in his face. Avery looked like she crossed two mountains in order to reach her destination. She was panting heavily, as she grasped on her chest.

"Did you walk home, milady?" Adelbert asked.

"I took the train." Avery answered as she walked pass Adelbert. He easily caught up with her, and he grabbed her bag. Avery thanked him.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked, quite concerned.

"Nothing is wrong." She answered. Adelbert didn't pry.

He put her things in her study table and left her in the room. Avery fished her phone from her pocket and dialled Oshitari's number.

"_Have you found him?" _Oshitari asked.

"Sorry, Oshitari-san." Avery sounded repentant. _Liar!_ She thought to herself. "I didn't find him." she answered as a small guilty smile came to her face. _You saw him, and you ran away. _"I can't contact him either. I'm really sorry. I'm sorry." She can't seem to stop apologizing.

"_It's fine, Asusagawa. It's not your fault that he's missing." _Oshitari answered. "_I guess I'll see you tomorrow then._"

Avery's smile widened. The sweetness coating her voice returned. "Yeah, see you tomorrow."

The next day, that morning, Avery was surprised to see the same girl walking side by side with Atobe. She watched them from the hallway of the third floor as they entered the building. She wore a Hyotei Gakuen school uniform, but she never seen him before. The girl was the talk of the town in just seconds.

Avery literally heard the two's arrival. Who wouldn't? The squealing agony of the fangirls were intolerable. But for some reason, Avery ran towards the comfort room, hiding from their presence. Her heart skipped a beat as she was blushing madly. _Why am I hiding from them?_ She asked to herself.

After classes, Avery rose from her seat, intending to avoid Atobe and his friend. She was near the door, just a few meters away from the rooftop. But, Atobe grabbed her wrist and dragged her towards the least person she wanted to meet. The girl…

"What's with the big idea, Keigo?!" She gave him a glare. "I'll tell Se-"

"You must be Asusagawa Avery-san Keigo kept on talking about." The girl said. She had a soft, gentle and alluring voice. Avery had a good view of her. She examined the brunette. She had long wavy brown hair, emerald green eyes, and fair skin. Her hair was tied in a half ponytail, giving a solution to the bangs covering her sweet face. She was pretty in a natural way. She wore a little makeup but that doesn't matter. She was taller than Avery. She wore a faint perfume. "How rude! I haven't introduced myself yet. I am Hei Shizuru. Nice to meet you, Asusagawa-san. Can I call you Avery-chan?" She held out her hand.

Avery reluctantly took it. _You're wearing that mask again, Ave._ The black haired girl gave a sweet smile in return. "Pleased to meet you, Hei-san. It would be my pleasure if you address me as such." She answered as if her mind wasn't bombarded with questions that only the girl could answer. _Just what are you to Atobe?_ She asked, yet again. _Why were you two at the shop together? How important are you for him?_ Then another question popped out. _Are you very important to the extent that he'd forget about tennis?_ And Avery hated herself more for losing the game.

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**What do you think? I hope you guys will review!**


	13. Tragic Longing, Happy Smile

**Yeah, school and stuff came along guys, so I apologize for the delay.**

**I hope you guys will like this chapter. **

**Hala~ Your assumptions and questions can be answered in this chapter.**

**I still don't own PoT**

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_I am Hei Shizuru._

_Shizuru and I grew up together in England. She came here to Japan yesterday due to familial reasons. I was asked by her father to tour her around yesterday._

_Keigo-kun never changed. I hope you are not being bothered by his constant narcissism. _

_What are you saying, Shizuru? Avery likes ore-sama, for being ore-sama._

_Heh? You don't have that ore-sama term when you're talking to Avery-chan._

Avery rested her head on her arm that was lying on the table of a sweet shop nearby Rikkai Dai Fuzoku. She glanced at her phone, figuring out how many hours have passed since she arrived in that place. She waited for another hour or so for noon to come. Her cake remained untouched and her warm coffee became cold. As she waited for the fated hour, she dozed off to sleep. After a few vibrations from her phone, it turned off due to lack of power.

Avery woke up in the familiar scent of coffee and heated pastry. Seems like a new customer came. Her vision slowly adjusted as she rose, but a force didn't allow her to lift her head. She smiled at the sight of her cousin in front of her. "Seiichi!" She greeted.

"You shouldn't be sleeping in places such as these, Ave." Yukimura advised.

Avery tried to lift her head, again, but to no avail. Her eyes narrowed. "Niou, leave my head alone." She said to the silver head whose hand was being held by the said girl, hoping that her grip on the man's arm would loosen his hold. And when Avery cannot see any hope in loosening his grip, she resorted to the best remedy of this situation. "Seiichi, Niou is bullying me, again!" She exclaimed.

Yukimura heaved a sigh. "Niou," He sternly called.

Niou removed his hand from Avery's head. "Puri~"

"By the way, Ave-chan. Why are you here?" Marui said, taking a bite from her untouched cake. Avery grimaced at the sight of her treat being eaten by another person. "It's not like you visit us on weekends."

Yukimura chuckled when Avery rolled her eyes. "I'm visiting Seiichi, not you guys, and especially not you." She directed a glare to Niou who was smirking.

Niou shrugged the glare off. "I hope Atobe-sama won't mind." He teased, imitating a fangirl's voice.

Avery grimaced at how successful his imitation was. "Why did his name come out of nowhere?" She asked, slapping her forehead with her palm. She received another shrug.

Yukimura momentarily raised a brow, before replacing his confused expression with a soft smile. "Ave, do you want to come with us? A new amusement park is opening." He offered as he took a sip from his coffee.

Avery's mood became darker. She slouched on her seat as she heaved a sigh. Amusement park is always equal to clowns. She's sure about that equation even if her grade in math is one an average one. She turned to Marui who was telling something about a pastry shop in the said park. "No!" She declined without having second thoughts.

Niou chuckled at the girl's answer. "You know, Hikaru Genju's wife wasn't that courageous, but I'm sure-"

"Shut up, Niou." Avery said, not even letting the silver haired teen finish his sentence.

Even though Niou closed his mouth so as not to utter even a single syllable, the mischievous glint in his eyes wouldn't be missed even by the most naïve person in the group.

After an hour of pleading, convincing and nerve wracking reasoning with Rikkai's childish tennis regulars, Avery found herself buying a hot chocolate in the newly opened amusement park that Niou and the others were proud of. She took a sip from her beverage, with Yukimura standing beside her, as they waited for the other regulars who were still riding the roller coaster. The girl hated long lines, and Yukimura wasn't in the mood for such activities since he had chemistry to think about.

"How about memorizing the whole thing? It will be of great help." Avery suggested as she leaned against the metal railings of the gate as she watched the roller coaster made loops, just like wavelengths of the graph that they were taking up in trigonometry. And she realized why she'd rather ride the roller coaster than watch it operate. Math.

"Memorizing the pi bond and sigma bond of each element isn't going to help me in the test, Ave." Yukimura answered. He sensed the uneasiness in the girl's tone ever since she arrived. That, or it was just his intuition. And most of the time, he was right. "Is something bothering you? I think you weren't listening. I just told you that I finally got the topic, I just needed practice." He added, glancing at the girl.

Avery heaved a sigh as she kept her hands warm with her drink. "You know, I miss my life here." Her expression became serious. "It's more peaceful, even if I was just running away back then. No one would pry on your business, no one would give glares at you just because you are with some popular boy, you wouldn't have problems if you made a mistake because you'd learn from it and you can easily move on, you wouldn't worry about your reputation. And the list goes on." She chuckled with less amusement when she finished her sentence. "And, I can be true to myself."

Yukimura remained silent. Both of them knew that he doesn't know what to really do in that situation. Only words could be said, but it is very hard to do. And most of the time, actions are easier said than done. "But you were just running away, that's why you won't feel that pain." He replied.

Avery chuckled. "And up to now, I'm still running away. So what's the difference?" She asked.

Yukimura's sighed as he clasped his fingers together. "I don't know."

"I know, because all we can do is fret." She said, doing her best to grasp for an answer. But alas, reality is cruel, yet again.

"It's for that reason, that's why we're searching for answers. As we fret, we come to realize that our actions may either be good or bad." The blue haired teen paused, and turned to the girl with a gentle smile on his face. "And as we realize our actions, we'd reach the point where we'd be very grateful for the world's imperfections. And once we're grateful for those imperfections, we'd appreciate the beauty of living." He told her.

For a moment, it seemed that they were the only persons in that park. The noise of the engine, the happy cries of a child, the shouts of vendors, and the murmurs and whispers and conversations of people, vanished. A peaceful cold breeze blew, teasing their cheeks. Avery adjusted her scarf, so that it will cover her small smile. "Yeah, that's absolutely reality's way of teaching us."

It was almost a nice that they were able to talk like before, but then a sudden realization hit Avery as if a bullet hit her in the head. She put her hands on either side of her head and shrieked.

Yukimura wasn't spared by the shock. Trust her to ruin a nice atmosphere they shared. "Is something wrong, Ave?" He asked, almost laughing.

"How mean!" Avery glared at him. Yukimura raised his arms in defence as a smile crept its way to his lips. What will I do, Seiichi?! I lost my clip. And my sister said that it was made just for me." She said in panic. "It's been a month since I was frantically looking for it. I even searched for the corners of the room that even the maids wouldn't want to touch. But all I saw were dust, cobwebs and dirt!" She informed him, knowing that he couldn't do anything as well, but still told him nonetheless.

Yukimura only laughed. Avery's brows furrowed. "And that's the Avery we know."

Avery stopped and laughed as well.

O~O~O

Atobe wasn't sure why, of all places, Hei wanted to go to Kanegawa. She only said something about a newly opened amusement park, and she wanted to see how amusement parks work in Japan. She said that the architecture of Asians is more complex and more interesting compared to that of the Western countries.

As a friend, and as a gentleman, it is only proper to accompany her to her desired place. And he found himself sitting on a cafe, just across the Ferris wheel that had a long line. He took a sip from his coffee as he rested his back on the chair.

"Keigo!" Hei chimed. "Let's ride the Ferris Wheel!" She exclaimed happily. And without even waiting for his answer, she grabbed Atobe's hand and pulled him towards the long line of the ride. Of course, Atobe wasn't the type to enjoy this childish commoner ride. But, he couldn't let his friend ride it alone. Besides, he is like an older brother to her.

They both entered the round compartment. Atobe sat across Hei, cheek leaning against the palm of his hand. He stared outside the window, eyes boringly watching the people from below.

Hei stared at Keigo with a smile on her face. She told Atobe somethings about structures and all, and Atobe didn't mind it. He only half-listened to the words she said since he heard them before. "Keigo!" She whined as she pouted. She scowled at Atobe who was still looking outside the window.

Atobe wasn't the kind to pry on someone's business. He didn't care when he see Niou and the other Rikkai Dai regulars passing by the Ferris wheel, since he half-expected to see them in their territory. But what caught his attention was the only rose among the thorns... or in this case, among the bees. And yes, even Avery would bluntly tell that to Yukimura in their conversations, in which Atobe would chuckle in amusement. His mouth slightly gaped open when he saw that she had a bright smile on her face as she talked with the regulars of Rikkai Dai. Sure, she would give him a bright smile, and he only saw that once from her. And Atobe found himself envious of those men, who could without effort, see that kind of smile every time they bond with each other. At the same time, he wanted to see that smile directed to him.

"Keigo-kun! Are you listening?!" Hei swung her hand back and forth Atobe who didn't notice that she moved to sit beside him. "Just what are you looking at?" She turned to the direction of Atobe's gaze but she only saw a vacant space. Hei heaved a sigh. "You should have told me that you didn't want to come with me, you know? I'd understand." She told him.

Atobe shook his head. "Ore-sama wasn't tired. I just saw some rival team passed by, that's all." He answered.

Hei's face brightened. "Really?" She moved back to her seat, searching for the said rival team, hoping that she could see them. "Where are they? I want to see you play a match against them. I'm sure you could easily defeat them." She chimed.

Atobe only chuckled. "Of course." He simply replied.

O~O~O

Monday mornings were really tiring. Afternoons were sleepy, and break times were the happiest moments. But this lunch was not really something Avery liked. She found herself hating it. Sure Hei wanted to know Avery more, but every time she speaks, she would be cut off by Hei, sharing some childhood experience with Atobe. She didn't even know why she was having lunch with this girl.

"And Keigo and I used to play in their garden. We even watered the plants before. Did you know that his favourite colors are black and gold? He just wears purple since it matches his hair." Hei informed her in a matter-of- factly tone.

Avery resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She turned to Atobe with a mocking smirk. "It's a surprise that you could water plants." She mocked. Atobe rolled his eyes.

Oshitari chuckled. "You made him carry a pot of flytrap, that's a bigger achievement, Asusagawa." The kansai teen muttered. Avery almost laughed.

Hei momentarily pouted. Her face brightened up when a sudden memory popped in her head. "Avery-chan, you know when we were kids, he would brawl with the big kids when I was bullied."

Avery found herself smiling at her words as she continued with her story. She stared at her plate where remnants of her finished food remained. She grabbed her fork and played with the bean that was lying alone in the middle of the plate, along with some mashed potatoes. She found herself hating the story of Atobe and Hei's childhood. Maybe she was envious. And she hated herself for that.

"Avery-chan, are you even listening?!" Hei scolded.

Avery gave a grin as she raised her arms in defence. "Yes, I am. Just continue." She said.

Hei puffed her cheeks. "I just finished my story."

And Avery remained silent. She rose from her seat and grabbed her plate. "I forgot something in the library. I'll see you later guys." She gave a curt nod and left.

Oshitari had a smirk on his face. Atobe raised a brow. And Hei... Hei almost wanted to scream at her. She stabbed the meat with her fork and put it in her mouth. "She didn't even show interest in you, Keigo!" Hei said as she chewed the meat. "That's just mean. It's like she's insulting you. She didn't even ask you to accompany her to where she was going. It's like she doesn't even care about your engagement." Hei rose from her seat. "This is frustrating, I'm going to get some water." She informed them before leaving.

Atobe turned to the direction where Avery left. "Come to think of it, Shizuru is right, na Yushi? Avery didn't even ask me to accompany her. Is something wrong with her?" He asked.

Oshitari smirked. "I can't believe you are this dense Atobe." He commented in which Atobe scowled. "Asusagawa was being civil." Atobe raised a brow. "She knew of Hei's feelings towards you, that's why Hei-san told her everything about your childhood with her. That's why she left, because she didn't want Hei-san to feel a bit out of place." He told him.

Atobe wasn't an idiot to not know about Hei's feelings towards him. He knew it, even before he left for Japan. But still, he doesn't love her the same way she does to him. He just wanted to ignore it.

Hei awkwardly glanced at her from her history book. Ah! History, the subject where Avery would always be articulate. And ironically, it was Hei's worst. Atobe was being kind to tutor her after club activities. Oddly enough, Avery didn't show up when Greek was finished. "Keigo-kun? Can you repeat explaining it to me?" She asked.

Atobe could only smirk since he was given the opportunity to display his greatness.

O~O~O

Avery decided that she should leave ahead and go home. She didn't wait for Atobe to get her home. She could go home without him. Besides, she needed to review for tomorrow's Math quiz. Then, she stopped on her tracks. She opened her bag and frantically searched for Atobe's notebook that she promised to return that afternoon.

And she grimaced when she found it inside her bag. She grabbed it, closed her bag and ran back to school. She didn't mind her scarf slowly unknotting, as long as it stays hanging on her neck.

.

.

.

Atobe flipped through the next chapter. He glanced at his watch. _5:30 pm_. They still have a quiz in math tomorrow. "Let's have this last chapter, and then we could go home. Ore-sama has to find Avery and get her home, too."

Hei's bangs covered her eyes. Her grip on her pen tightened at the mention of the girl's name. "Stop doing that for formality's sake." She scolded him. "She's not the type to appreciate it anyway. Besides, she grew up being fetched by some butler with some bodyguard, and she could still go on." She muttered. "You two were arranged, and she might just like you because you are Atobe Keigo."

Atobe wasn't sure how to react. But then, his smirk widened when Hei described Avery the opposite of her real personality. He couldn't help but wonder what would Hei's reaction be when she found out that she walks to school and even escapes her bodyguards without fail. And she even expressed her dislike towards Keigo when they were in the interview. And he knew Hei's attitude when she hates a person. "Shizuru, how do you find Avery?" He asked just to confirm.

Hei slowly faced him. Her look suggested that it was some serious matter for her. Atobe couldn't help but anticipate something bad is going to happen. "I hate Avery." Hei bluntly said.

And at the same time, as Hei said those words that Atobe prayed, for the first time, not to hear, the door opened, revealing the said jet black haired girl. Hei looked shocked. Avery wasn't spared by the shock either.

Atobe felt the tension rising in the air. "Ave-"

Avery turned to him with her usual smile. "Thank you for the notebook, Keigo. That helped me a lot." She walked to him and handed him his notebook. Then, she turned to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow then." She said and closed the door. She wasn't sure about what just happened but she ran. She ran down the stairs, towards the gate, and to the next blocks. She didn't care, she didn't even catch her breath until she passed by six blocks, and her body gave in. She took in large gulps of air as she leaned against the brick wall that acts as a fence for the residents of the house. She didn't care about being hated by other people, and she wondered why she ran away. And the best answer she could come up with was because Atobe was there to hear it.

Avery felt her chest tightened because of the running. She slowly slid down, not minding the dusty ground. _I seriously need exercise._ She thought. Then, she looked up the sky and chuckled.

She found herself hating herself for hating herself when she hated the story of Hei out of jealousy.

* * *

**Sorry for the late update guys! Thank you to those who reviewed as well! I hope you guys will review in this chapter as well!.**


	14. Tragic Truth, Happy Nothing

The last day of school for the year came. Almost all students rejoice when they heard the bell, ending the last period for the day. Most of them were normal teenage boys and girls, having friends of the same age. They walked out of the school together, sharing their plans for the rest of the holidays.

"See you next year, Asusagawa-chan!" The other girls remarked. Despite the feeling of hating them because they only came to her because of being Atobe's fiancée, she enjoyed their company when they tend to be not his fangirls.

Avery gave a sweet smile. "Happy holidays!" She exclaimed as she waved at them. When she was sure that they were enjoying their own conversation as they walked away, she turned to her shoe locker, and shut it close. "Happy holidays, huh?" She muttered as she adjusted her scarf. It was obvious really and one doesn't need to be a genius just to figure it out. Ever since that afternoon, she has been avoiding Atobe blatantly and or smoothly depending on the given situation. And if she could, then she would avoid him even in classes that they shared. But she cannot.

The girl looked up the grayish sky as a smile adorned her lips. She always enjoyed the cold air of autumn and most especially looked forward to winter and she would enjoy the delightful white crystallized precipitate that will fall from the sky. And it will be coming soon. She took a step forward, not really minding the different routine she had forced herself into making a habit. She never admitted it, but, she missed the times she spent with the narcissistic jerk.

"Avery," From behind her, a husky voice called. For a moment, all of those thoughts vanished and she returned to reality.

Slowly, Avery turned to face him. She put on her usual uncaring facade. A smile adorned her lips as her gaze met with his. "Yo, Atobe!" She greeted.

Atobe didn't have his smirk on or his confident gaze. Instead, behind those dark orbs, she saw disappointment lurking. At this, Avery's mouth hung agape. "You forgot your math notebook, again." Atobe said as he held out his hand, waiting for the girl to grab it.

Avery nodded and took the notebook in her hand. However, Atobe didn't let go of it. After a minute or so, she forcefully pulled the notebook to her. She turned her back at him, and finally said, "Happy holidays."

And before she could take another step from her place, she felt a calloused hand grabbed hers. She cannot move out. Rather, someone was exerting a greater force behind her, making her unable to move. "I'm not that dense, Avery. Why have you been avoiding me?"

They settled in an uncomfortable silence. Her free arm gripped on the strap of her shoulder bag. "It's just that, I got bored in this silly game." She answered, coating her voice with amusement.

For the first time, Atobe was taken by surprise. He let go of her hand. As he watched her go, she seemed too far for his reach. He chuckled, flipping his bangs as he amusedly sunk in the ironic thought of him being the well-known king and he cannot reach a mere girl.

"Ave, come to the park tomorrow at three. I'll tell you something." Atobe shouted.

Avery only waved her hand, without bothering to look back at him, in acknowledgement.

O~O~O

Always and every single time, Atobe was early. It was in his nature to be very early than the scheduled time. It was only proper for a gentleman. But if a girl is like Avery who doesn't want to be waiting and to be waited, then one would understand her predicament. She adjusted her scarf, as her other hand tucked inside her pocket the scrap papers in her math. She randomly grabbed it from her table, just to have something to read when she had to wait for the said man, but she knew that she would not need it, but there was something shouting at the back of her mind that she should bring something to keep her company.

And true enough, when she arrived in the said park, she saw no signs of that man. Actually, there were no signs of people that wanted to go out of the park to spend some time with their loved ones. Only the street sweepers were there. She caught her breath as she leaned against the park's fence, clutching her chest in the process. Despite the morning and afternoon walks, she would easily tire out.

She glanced at the park's clock, hoping that she was just on time and Atobe didn't just leave her, but she knew deep down that he wasn't the kind of person to do that outrageous, undignified thing. She would be the one to do that. Despite her being her, she still wouldn't do that.

"Two forty-five." Avery muttered as she headed to a nearby bench. In normal days, she would sit beside the bench near the birch tree, but due to the season, it was not applicable at the moment. She didn't want some leaf that decided to make a very late fall from the tree's branch to be a decoration of her hair.

She grabbed her scrap paper from her pocket, with intent to read and decode the numbers, just like how the Rosetta stone decoded the characters of the unknown calligraphy. For the span of five minutes or so, Avery intently stared at the paper, flipping through the pages.

She was the kind to enjoy the company of books than other people, however, when her eyes grew tired of the numbers that seemed to not sink in her head, she'd rather have a good conversation with the most despicable person in the world than solve another trigonometric problem.

O~O~O

Atobe wasn't the kind to be irritated when it comes to school work since he knew that he could smoothly finish it. But of all days that Coach Sakaki asked him to go to school just to give him the annual report about Hyotei Gakuen's tennis team progress, it just had to be the day and time where he had something scheduled.

And when he finally submitted it, Shizuru just have to come along and ask him to help her in the paper she failed to submit on the due date. In normal days, he would gladly do it for a friend, but he had a more important affair to attend to. Far more important than an annual report or a paper. Far more important than anyone or anything else.

"Please, Keigo-kun, I really, really need you for this." The blonde pleaded with teary eyes.

Atobe only heaved a sigh. "Just a moment," He told her.

Shizuru's face lit up. She hurried to the classroom nearby, preparing her pen and papers.

Atobe fished for his phone from his pocket and speed dialled a number. After a few beeps, the call was finally answered.

"Where are you? You're late!" Upon hearing the angry voice, Atobe almost chuckled. "Don't just smirk there, answer me!" She demanded.

Atobe ran a hand through his locks. "I'm here in school. I'll be there in an hour. Could you still wait for me?"

Despite the inaudible mutters and hissing, Avery finally said, "Fine." She hung up, before he could even mutter another syllable. So typical of her!

Unexpectedly, the paper took almost an hour and a half to be finished. And Atobe's efforts were tested because of that part of the history where Avery is the expert and he didn't want to bother her. That, and he does know that Shizuru doesn't like her company. Seriously, women...

Atobe hurriedly rushed towards the front gate, without even saying goodbye to Shizuru. All he had in mind was the girl that was waiting for him in the park for almost two hours. And if she arrived early, then she might be waiting

-thinking of those numbers seemingly became frustrating for him that he didn't want to think about it anymore.

"Keigo-kun!" Atobe almost froze from his place. He didn't want to mess with Hei's childish attitude now. "How mean! Why did you leave me? You didn't even say a word to me before you left." She said when she caught up with him, pouting.

"Not now, Shizuru. Ore-sama has something important to attend to." Atobe only answered, shrugging her questions off. He was about to run when he felt a hand grabbed his wrist.

"It's unfair, Keigo-kun." Shizuru's liveliness seemed to drain. "She's just doing it because her parents say so." She muttered. She saw it, how Avery acts towards him. She encountered how passive the girl was, or how she'd shrug off Keigo's caring gestures to her. And it was really unfair. "You'll just get hurt."

Atobe was left speechless for a moment.

_Let's play a game. _

_I don't want this you know._

_I still won't give up getting rid of you._

_I said I don't need your help._

_It's just that, I got bored of this silly game._

And everything just sunk in and Atobe hated it. He would always say and put up a façade that it wasn't real. That she grew to _like_ him. That she likes him. Because, he likes her… very much. And he wanted to forget that it was just arranged. That like in those cliché movies, it was destiny. Since that incident in the train station, to what they are now, it was planned. And he wanted their relationship to work out… that they could start as friends and not as two persons that were connected out of social and economic status.

Because there came a day, when he woke up, he realized that he wanted to have a future with her by his side.

But, looking back on what Avery said, it seemed impossible.

Had she even smiled a smile that reached her eyes when he did something for her? He wanted to believe so. Had she even thanked him because she just wanted to and not because it should have been done? He thinks she did it all the time.

And before another question came to him, Atobe seemed to reach a conclusion that he wanted to avoid so badly that he runs away from it every time he was facing it. _I still don't know her._ He thought painfully. _I still don't know Avery._ He turned his back at Hei, breaking free from her grasp.

"I think you're right, Shizuru. Let's go home." Atobe faced Hei, with his confident smirk. _Considering her, she might have left the park already. _He thought painfully.

As they left the school, pieces of paper were scattered, as if someone had dropped them unknowingly. They flew with the breeze, giving the owner a zero percent chance of finding them. Atobe didn't care about it, but something about the handwriting seemed familiar to him.

He shrugged it off, however.

O~O~O

Avery swung her legs back and forth as she adjusted her scarf. She put a smile on her face as she watched the leaves move with the breeze. She clenched her fists tightly, resisting the urge to cry in a public place. The stars watched her, as if mocking her loneliness. It was really cold out there.

As if her prayers were answered, she heard her phone rang. She immediately answered it, her face lightened a bit at the sight of the caller ID. "Keigo," She tried her best to sound her usual tone, and not like a nervous girl.

"Sorry about a while ago, Avery. I wasn't able to come. Things came up." Atobe, as always, answered the unspoken questions.

"Where are you right now?" Avery asked as her lips quivered.

"Home." Atobe answered.

She clutched on her phone tightly. Her bangs covered her eyes, and a smile came to her lips.  
"I'm glad you were able to finish it." She answered, disgusted with herself.

Atobe recognized the sweet coated tone. "Avery, where are you?" He asked, hoping that he was right about his hunch that she just went home. And at the same time, he found himself wishing that he was wrong.

Avery chuckled. She glanced at her watch. _Six thirty. _She thought. Then, her smile widened. "I'm here in our balcony." She said.

"Avery you-"

"Atobe," She cut him off. "I'm sorry for giving you a lot of troubles." Avery clenched her fist until she could feel her nails digging on her palm. "Don't worry, I can do something for the things that I have done."

And before Atobe could answer, she hung up.

_You're a fool Avery. It's foolish that you expected him to come after seeing that he chose to believe what his eyes saw. It's so disappointing that it hurts so much._

O~O~O

Adelbert walked back and forth the receiving area. The maids knew that they better not approach him in this kind of mood. He would glance at the door, hoping that it would open up. Then, he'd check on the phone every ten minutes hoping that he just didn't hear a call.

"Eight thirty." Adelbert muttered. He made up his mind that he will call his master or the madam. The wait was killing him. Avery wasn't the kind to go home very late and she would tell it to him if something came up. She just said that she'd be in the park and that she would go home before dark. He grabbed the phone from the desk.

His finger pressed the first number. He intently pressed the digits slowly, giving some more time for the door to open. The first ring came to the speaker.

"Lady Avery!" One of the maids exclaimed when Avery came inside.

Adelbert put the phone down and hurriedly went to the girl. "What happened to you, milady? It is so unusual for you to go home this late." He grabbed her coat and scarf.

Avery only smiled at him. "Sorry for making you worry." She only answered. "I lost my scrap papers. Maybe the wind took them." She gave a grin as she scratched the back of her head.

"Forget about that, I suppose young master Atobe wouldn't mind if you ask for his help." Adelbert said, grabbing her hand. "Come along, we need to keep you warm. It would be nice if you catch a cold this season. I believe that you love the snow, right, milady?" Avery only smiled as she followed Adelbert to her room. She knew that after she was given the warm clothes that will provide her insulation, next thing that he'd give her is a cup of warm chocolate.

"Adelbert, can I, by any chance have some appointment with Master Atobe?" She asked, holding the cup of chocolate tightly.

"An appointment? Of course you can. You are his son's fiancée after all. Is something the matter?" Adelbert became confused. It was the first time that she asked something like this. She wasn't the kind to even involve herself in these kinds of matters.

Avery only shook his head. "What time would father and mother arrive?" She asked.

"I am not sure." Adelbert answered. The atmosphere seemed to be more depressing and it is hard to breathe in. "But I'm sure tomorrow, they'd be here." She nodded and took another sip from her cup.

O~O~O

Atobe didn't know whether to be excited or anxious as he entered the building. Something came up and he was needed immediately in his father's office. He passed by the front desk, not really minding the people that come and go. Then, as he headed for the elevator, his shoulders accidentally bumped a certain person. He turned to the person who stumbled backward and muttered incoherently. Then, his eyes widened. "Avery?"A feeling of guilt, however, erupted.

Avery opened her mouth to say something but failed to do so. A sneeze came out instead of a word. Atobe gave a scowl as she sniffed. Then, she smiled at him as she scratched the back of her neck. "Sorry about that." She said as she got up on her own, ignoring the hand that Atobe held out for her. "I wasn't really paying attention to the world since this morning." She answered.

Atobe pulled his hand back, not quite sure what to feel about the ignored gesture. "What are you doing here?"

Avery only smiled. "Fulfilling my promise to you." She answered. "I'd love to chat but I'm not really feeling well. This is what I get when I am stubborn." She walked passed him, stopping halfway when she felt that her body was being deprived of the oxygen she needed. Her heart skipped a beat or two when Atobe reached out for her hand. He didn't care if they looked like two teenagers in a cliché movie.

"I'm sorry, Atobe."

Atobe's eyes widened. Are they back to being strangers?

"Happy holidays!" She told him without turning to face him. Instead, she pulled her hand and left him in the lobby.

O~O~O

Atobe rushed to the streets, panting as he searched for a face in the middle of the crowd.

_I have nothing against you in this one, Keigo._ He remembered his father said to him. _But you know, I really like Avery for you. There is something about her that makes you focused and at the same time distracted. _

Atobe knew that she would just be walking home. She was the kind to do so, despite the fact that she could ask for someone to fetch her.

_Maybe she's just focused on something else. _Atobe could still remember the feeling that he got when his father's next words registered in his head. _Or you chose someone else that you see fitting for you. _Master Atobe took a deep breath before he finally told his son. _She asked me to break the engagement. Surprisingly her parents agreed to this. _

And before his father could say anything else, he ran out of the office with an intention to search for her.

Something at the back of his head screamed that he should go to the park. Seemingly not the right place but when he reached it, he was surprised to see the black haired girl he had been searching for. She looked up, mouth hung agape and eyes widened. "No," She muttered.

"Stop deciding on things without-"

_I got bored in this silly game._

"Atobe?"

"You should have told me," Atobe clutched her shoulders tightly. Strands of hair fell from his face, slightly covering his eyes. "That you've wanted to have that freedom so badly."

Avery became speechless.

"I'll do that, for you." Atobe told him, smiling. Imitating her actions when faced in a hard situation. Avery found herself gasping. "Goodbye, Avery." He turned back and walked away, purposely going out in a slow pace. He was waiting, and maybe he will forever wait.

Avery's lips trembled. She held out her hand, about to reach for his back but stopped midway. "I'm not someone worth your time." She only said. "Goodbye, Keigo."


	15. Tragic Wish, Happy Friendship

The holidays ended and the chilly start of the school for the year came. A well-deserved vacation once again ended and they were back to their old mundane school life.

Oshitari gave Avery his notes. "Thanks." She said as she scratched the back of her head. "I'll return it to you later, promise. I'm really sorry for the trouble." She apologized once again, despite the fact that Oshitari said that it was fine.

"No really," He muttered with a worried smile. In a span of six months, he learned that this girl tends to be unsettled if she felt that she was bothering someone. Then, his eyes caught Atobe and Shizuru passed by behind her. It was obvious really, that Atobe's gaze was on the black haired girl. He didn't need those glasses to know. Heck, he doesn't even need those glasses, but that is not the point. It was odd that Atobe didn't even take an effort of telling her his presence. And Atobe wasn't the kind, especially if it was her.

And when Oshitari's eyes drifted back to Avery, he was surprised that she was just staring at his back. Then, she looked aside. When she realized that she was spacing out, she immediately turned to him with a smile. "Well then," she said before she ran to her classroom.

Oshitari only blinked.

O~O~O

It was odd for Atobe not to be with Avery during lunch time. The king grew attached to the girl, not because of this whole engagement thing, but because of their ties. So, when Oshitari found Avery missing by his side, he grew curious.

"Yushi-kun!" Hei waved at him and motioned for him to join them, much to Atobe's distaste.

Oshitari nodded and took his seat across Atobe. Lately, he has been silent for what happened to him during the holidays. Hei told him stories about how she spent her holiday in Europe. She told him how Saint Peter's Square fascinated her and how the devotees flocked during the Christmas Eve's mass.

Atobe's eyes drifted from one place to another, as if he was searching for someone. His eyes then was set on the door, hoping that she'd come in. He was contented with just looking at her. He just didn't want to let her out of his sight. He knew painfully well that she gained the freedom that she willed. And that he should be happy. But then again, something quirks up and he found himself having a hard time to breathe.

And when he got bored in the conversation between Oshitari and Shizuru, he got up and left them without even saying a word.

Oshitari turned to him and watched him leave. Something was definitely up.

O~O~O

Avery was in the roof top once again. She heaved a sigh when she opened the door leading to the classrooms and headed back inside. She remembered how she wasn't able to enjoy the snow because of acquiring a cold because she stayed long outside. As she descended the flight of stairs, she knew that she was forgetting something.

When she turned to the hall, her heart skipped a beat. Her eyes widened and her brain was telling her to flee. But it just hurt so much inside that she found her body numbed. She can't move as Atobe was approaching her.

-One step forward, two steps… and before she knew it, he was beside her. She glanced at him and smiled as she nodded.

"Kei- Atobe," Avery greeted him with a smile.

Atobe curtly nodded in response. So they were back with formalities. "Avery," At least she was back with the formalities. And he will always be same. He leaned against the wall, and heaved a sigh.

Avery only watched him. He looked stressed out. "It's the first day of the year and yet you look like you've been working nonstop. Is it the student council work?" She asked, trying to settle in a comfortable atmosphere.

Atobe was quite surprised that she started a casual conversation. A part of him lightened up. His usual smirk came to his lips. "No, I was just thinking about something." He answered. Avery stood beside him, leaning against the wall as well.

"Then, what are you thinking now?" Avery asked.

"I'm glad that you and I could still have these kinds of conversation." Atobe murmured. Avery's eyes widened and he chuckled at her reaction. She chuckled in response. Maybe it was out of habit, or he just wanted to, but he still addresses himself normally to her. "It's odd, I saw your family at the party of Sakai-san, but I didn't see you there." He opened trying to ease up the uncomfortable atmosphere once again.

Avery only laughed. "I didn't know that you count guests and see who is absent as a way of subjugating your boredom. If only the superpower countries during renaissance were like that, then there wouldn't be third world countries." She amusedly told him. Atobe only snorted, as if telling her to answer him. "I got sick."

Atobe's brows furrowed. "You got sick?" She nodded. "Why?"

Avery shrugged. "I don't know, but you see, that day I got a really high fever and my sister told me not to stay out in the cold since I always want to see the first snow fall. It's really unfair but good thing I got sick that time. Seiichi told me that the party was not that enjoyable." She replied. "And here I thought you'd be spending your holiday in England."

Atobe only smirked. "I got bored of that place. Besides, in England or here, it will only be the same."

And before they knew it, they were laughing and sharing experiences during their vacation.

O~O~O

Avery's eye twitched as she eyed Oshitari's notebook during her last class. She slapped her forehead with her palm and muttered, "I knew it. I forgot to return this to Oshitari-san."

Atobe glanced at her raised a brow. It was unusual for her attention to be divided since they were discussing some Greek history. He shrugged the thought aside and directed his attention to the book.

When classes ended, he made it a point to check on her, like he usually does before going to his club activities.

"Asusagawa-san, let's talk for a bit." The homeroom teacher called her. She hesitantly nodded and followed the teacher.

And with that, Atobe went on to his club activities.

.

.

.

Avery ran down the flight of stairs to the tennis courts, clutching Oshitari's notebook in the process. She passed by Hei, unintentionally ignoring her. All that she had in mind was that she needs to return the notebook to the tensai.

And when she reached the tennis courts, she inevitably bumped Jirou. She grimaced when he woke up and rubbed his shoulder. Leave it to him to sleep comfortably anywhere.

Jirou's vision adjusted and his face lit up when he saw Avery. "Ho? Asusagawa-san." They had chats before, especially if Avery would just sit by the bleachers and watch Atobe's matches. But before they could end a topic, Jirou would doze off. "I'll call Atobe for you." He said as he got up and stretched as he walked to his captain.

Avery protested but Jirou was already out of her sight. She only sighed. She turned around to look for Oshitari only to be surprised to see him actually there.

The blue haired tensai blinked. "Asusagawa? Are you looking for Atobe?"

Avery glared at the ground and muttered incoherent words. Oshitari knew that he said something that he shouldn't have. When she realized that she was talking to herself in front of someone, she muttered an apology. Oshitari only smiled.

"Here," Avery handed his notebook to him. "Sorry I wasn't able to return it sooner. Thank you very much Oshitari. It helped me a lot." She turned to the courts, hoping to see _him_ to be actually there with his smirk on.

"Avery?" Atobe called much to her surprise. She almost flinched when she heard his voice. "Is there something wrong?" Inwardly, he was hoping that she'd apologize. Apologize that she broke the engagement and that she want it back.

-But he knew that it was impossible. Because if she really want it, then she wouldn't break it.

"Oh, Atobe." Avery heaved a sigh. "Akutagawa-san told you, huh? He thought that I was here for you." She only answered, smiling lightly.

Atobe raised a brow. "So what is your purpose in going here?" He asked, quite curious.

"She returned my notebook, Atobe." Oshitari answered. Atobe gave Oshitari a suspicious look in which the tensai put his arms up in defeat.

"Yeah, sorry for bothering you, Atobe." Avery answered.

Atobe nodded and left the two. He gave Jirou a glare, and the said sleepy head almost flinched.

Oshitari couldn't take it anymore. Whatever the game these two are playing, he knew that it had to stop. "I don't have the right to ask this but, is there something wrong with both of you? Did you fight? Because you and Atobe seemed to be aloof with each other." Oshitari pointed out to her.

Avery blinked and smiled. "Really? Does it seem like it?" Her voice was coated with sweetness and all. But Oshitari was not a blind man, really. He waited for an answer.

Avery knew she couldn't escape this. She gave an unsure smile and then finally answered, "I broke up our engagement, Oshitari."

Before Oshitari found the right words to say, she was gone.

O~O~O

It was awkward really. People eying you just because of the rumor that spread like the Bubonic plague. Avery knew that she should just ignore them, but maybe part of her was pissed off. She'd feel better if his fangirls bully her for the rest of her stay in Hyotei Gakuen, but no, they were giving her sympathetic stares and she felt like they see her as someone who was just diagnosed with cancer or something.

And somehow, Hei was speaking to her as if she hadn't heard the words that she said that afternoon. But knowing Avery, she would only put up a façade. She doesn't want to be part of any mess, and it will be troublesome for her… and Atobe.

She flipped through the pages of the history book she randomly grabbed from the shelf. The paintings that were included in the text book were just alluring that she wanted to see those in real life. Not just enclosed in a book. They were like… like a person putting up a façade. Because no matter what, the book will be a book and the real painting is the real one.

_The real one, huh?_ She thought as a painful answer came to her. She was just like that book, pretending to be the painting, putting up a good façade of indifference. And someone it hurt her. _I wish I can be the painting._ She rose from her seat and closed the book.

As she walked through the corridors, murmurs and whispers followed her way. The black haired girl could only sigh in irritation. How she hated being the center of attraction!

_I should have stayed inside the library._ Avery thought, wanting to come back to her sanctuary. But just glancing at the people around her made her think twice about that decision. She entered her classroom, not minding the fact that people were still staring at her. _Don't worry, it will end soon._ She convinced herself.

O~O~O

"Have you heard?"

Atobe wasn't in the mood for rumors and stuff. He needed to see if Hiyoshi was worthy enough to take his place as the Captain of Hyotei Gakuen's tennis team. These girls should really stop flocking in his courts.

"Atobe-san and Asusagawa-san broke up." The girl giggled.

"Then, maybe we have a chance." Her companion exclaimed.

"Atobe, the match is starting." Oshitari told him.

"Serves Asusagawa right." They said once again. "She's one of those girls who don't deserve Atobe-sama's attention."

"In fact, she never deserves to be given the privilege to be the heir of the Asusagawa."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you know? The reason why her father engaged her to Atobe-sama was because she is a so-so. Not even intellectual at all."

And just like a rope, Atobe snapped. "If you don't have better things to do, leave the courts. Ore-sama doesn't want to see you here!" Oshitari blinked in surprise. He wasn't the kind to snap at them if the reason is really shallow like gossiping. But then again, they are really annoying so he couldn't him.

And the girls ran away, hiding their face in shame.

O~O~O

"Really, you did that?" Avery laughed. "That was-"

"A not so noble act?" Atobe raised a brow, finishin her sentence. "I know."

Avery laughed again. "No. It was really nice of you to get them out of the courts. Ohtori-kun said something about them troubling him. Poor boy… he's a kind and gullible one." She informed him. She was smiling as she looked up the sky. Spring will come soon. "Oh yeah, what were they talking about anyway?" She asked as she turned to Atobe.

Atobe's eyes widened. His mouth slightly hung agape. He immediately regained his composure and smirked. "As usual, nonsense."

Avery only chuckled.

Atobe chuckled in response. Then he turned to Avery, his eyes lingering on the hand that settled in between them. Atobe rested his hand on hers. And Avery could feel her heart beat tremendously fast. Like she will have a heart attack any moment by now. Like she will faint. And she felt like the temperature just increased rapidly.

"Can we go back to where we used to be?" Because he wanted that time, where he can be someone else and not put up a façade that he is a king that is to be glorified. Because he could get his potential out and at the same time enjoy the way things are. And that was what he wanted in fact. He wanted to feel like a normal person and be treated that way. But having a last name like his, it will only remain a fantasy.

Atobe stood up and shook his head. He laughed as if what he said amused him. And then, he walked away.

Avery stood up, almost rushing to Atobe. She held out her hand to reach for him. Suddenly, her free arm held on the other hand. She bit her lower lip as she resisted the urge to cry. "If fate would permit…" She muttered as she stayed there and only watched him go away.

**Forgive me if this chapter is short and crappy.**


	16. Happy Finish, Tragic Finish

Since the incident in the rooftop, Atobe seemed like he was avoiding Avery. And she in turn avoided him. They would have casual talks. But when they do, an uncomfortable silence would settle between them and they will eventually find an excuse to leave.

And this was one of those situations. Atobe said something about forgetting his grip tape inside their classroom. Avery could only watch his back descend from the flight of stairs.

The next day, she arrived late and she knew that she was screwed. Their homeroom teacher would probably scold her, make her clean the classroom or-

"She's not yet here." Avery muttered as she caught her breath. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she headed for her seat. The students were unusually a mess that day, Avery noted. As usual, Atobe sat on his chair, still charismatic as ever, and her classmates were chatting with their seatmates.

Then, the teacher finally came, holding some papers. She cleared her throat and directed her gaze to the students who were still chatting. They looked away and stopped giggling. "We will distribute high school applications again since the number of students applying for the high school branch of Hyotei decreased. I just hope that you have plans by now." Most students whined as she distributed the papers to them. The class' noise covered the classroom.

Avery only sighed in irritation. _Just what are they making a fuss about? It's just a high school application form._ She thought as she looked out the window. A small smile came to her lips when she saw the old gardener cultivating new plants in the yard.

O~O~O

Atobe needed some fresh air. The tennis courts were bombarded by onlookers and the regulars can't focus on their training because they were on the way; the student council is in a mess because of late papers; Hei being so childish that she's getting on his nerves, and; there was academic requirements needed for graduation. He could feel another headache coming.

He opened the door to the rooftop, expecting a black haired girl sitting on the cold tiled floor, reading her most loved genre of book. A nonfiction book that tackles the history of places, things or people. But alas, the rooftop was void of people. Atobe casted her absence aside. He sat on their spot and decided to have some nap. A few minutes wouldn't hurt.

And after a while, his neck was complaining due to stiffness. He slowly opened his eyes and his vision adjusted. A blur figure of a girl with black hair stared at him with curious eyes. And he felt a finger poke his cheek. "Avery?"

She sat in front of him. One of her hands held on a book about the history of bread. "Try moving your neck."

Atobe raised a brow but did move his neck nonetheless. He grimaced at the painful sensation that was sent to his nerves. Avery grinned at him. Then, from the book, something detached and flew straight to Atobe's face.

The said male groaned in irritation. He removed the piece of paper on his face. "Your application form? You did apply, right?"

Avery shrugged as she shifted in a comfortable sitting position. "Nope. I did not." She grabbed the paper and started folding it until it became a paper plane. "I already passed Rikkai Dai's high school entrance examination." She put a momentum in the plane's flight and aimed it to the sky.

Atobe looked confused. "You're not entering Hyotei in high school?" He asked, quite shocked at the discovery. The girl only shook her head. "Why?"

"Because," Avery turned to him and smiled. "I don't have to stay here." Another uncomfortable silence settled between them. "Besides, you're going to England for High School." She looked down, not daring to meet with Atobe's gaze. She couldn't find any courage to do so. "You're the only reason why I transferred here in Hyotei." She bluntly informed him, making the atmosphere more uncomfortable.

Atobe licked his lower lip and smirked. "Is that why you didn't want to enter here for high school? You knew that you wouldn't see me again?"

Avery heaved a sigh. "You self-centered brat…" She chuckled. Atobe raised a brow, urging her to answer him. She chuckled again. "Yeah…"

And both gasped at the unexpected answer.

Avery felt her cheeks heat up. A tomato would envy her complexion. _What did I just say? I am such a stupid person!_ She thought but from the looks of it, Atobe wasn't expecting the same thing. Her lips curved into a smile.

Atobe never expected some blunt answer as that. He was too stunned to answer. Then, he saw her smile… not the smile that she usually has, but a smile that reached her eyes.

"You won the game, Atobe." She told him. Atobe's eyes widened. His mouth hung agape as they only stared at each other.

O~O~O

Weeks passed after that seemingly confession of Avery. They haven't had a talk like that since then. Atobe fixed his tie as he went out of the car. The crowd before him cheered… well squealed actually. The girls of his batch really adore him that even in their happiest day they didn't fail to give him the best praise that they could give. The event was about to start and they could hear the classic marching song.

Then, at a spur of a moment, Atobe saw her. She was standing by the only birch tree can be seen in their classroom. She didn't look like she's one of those graduating students. She didn't even prepare for this big day and she looked like her ordinary look. Hair freely cascading, uniform neatly worn, still having a passive look on her face. Everything for her seemed to be a normal day while the girls of her age were taking pictures with their friends and almost crying out of mixed emotions.

Then, she turned to Atobe who involuntarily looked away. Realizing this act, he faced her and made an effort to approach her. A gentle smile reached her lips. "Congratulations, Mister I am Number one." Avery greeted as she leaned against the tree trunk.

"You really don't care about what other people say, do you?" Atobe commented in which she shook her head. "I don't have the chance to see again the look you had when I saw you for the first lunch date with your family." Avery looked down and tried hiding her blush. Atobe laughed. He remembered that her hair was parted at the center with braids and secured in a bun at the lower back, adorned with a golden band. She was very grumpy that time and was so obsessed in ruining this engagement.

"Well, they say that there are things that are only meant the first time. It will be boring if you see it again." Avery replied, laughing as well. But her eyes reflected the opposite of what her face is giving.

"Is there something wrong?" Atobe asked, seeing the mask of indifference.

"Nothing, really. Why? Do I have something in my face?" Avery asked in return.

"It's just that-"

"Keigo-kun!" Hei came running to them, a grin showing. "Come on, we are needed over there. Mom and Dad came." She said, giving Avery a smile and dragging Atobe towards the gymnasium.

Atobe turned to Avery who only waved at him. But his gaze didn't leave her until she was out of sight. For a moment, Atobe saw sadness in those eyes.

.

.

.

And since then, he never saw her ever again. Despite the fact that he knew that she won't show up in this very hour, he still searched for her in the midst of the crowd. He knew that he was a fool for even thinking about something outrageous as her appearing from the crowd out of nowhere and snapping at him about not even knowing that he'll go to England three days after their graduation.

Oshitari turned to the direction where Atobe's gaze was directed upon. He raised a brow when he only saw an empty space. "Is there something wrong, Atobe?" He asked when he turned to Atobe.

Atobe stared into a distant space. Then, he shook his head. "Nothing." And with that, he left Japan without even saying a word to her.

O~O~O

Tokyo University is a very prestigious university, known for its quality education not just in Japan but in the whole world. The end of that distasteful thigh length to knee length skirts of some school uniform will finally ended, and finally, a girl has the freedom to choose between using a pair of pants or skirt. Ah, college.

Avery entered the school grounds and headed to where some wooden boards were placed. There were other people wearing their respective school uniforms but she didn't mind them. Today was the day that the results of the entrance examinations of Tokyo University were released.

She held strips of papers on one hand. She searched for the matching student number on the board. "201236547…" Avery muttered and tears almost fell from her cheeks. Then, she sought for the other student number. She sniffed as a smile came upon her lips.

She ran out of the school grounds. The other students looked at her with curiosity but they shrugged those thoughts aside. They still need to see if they passed.

She arrived in the tennis courts, grinning as she looked for the court where Rikkai Dai were. She caught her breath when she reached the fenced court where her comrades were. Who would miss a jersey that has the same color as a bee? She was just in time, where she could witness the shaking of hands between the two teams. Her eyes travelled to the opposite side of the Rikkai's court. Her eyes widened when familiar faces came upon her sight.

"Hyotei… huh?" Avery said in a hushed whisper. She bit her lower lip and clenched her fists. After a couple of seconds, she recovered her smile on her face. _I passed Tokyo University with flying colors. That's all that matters. _She thought as she approached Sanada and the others. "Akaya-kun, how was your match?" She asked, coating her voice with that sweet, senpai tone she only gives to Kirihara.

Kirihara blinked as he turned to the owner of the voice, still sipping from the water jug that was given to him. "Ave-senpai? I thought you're going to Tokyo University." Yukimura and the others turned to Avery with curious gazes.

Avery's bright face turned to a gloomy one. Her smile vanished and the other third years followed. Then, she burst into a fit of laughter just by watching their faces. "And you guys said that I was being paranoid about the results."

Marui gave her a glare. "Just stop messing with us already!" He snapped at her.

"We passed!" Avery exclaimed and they could have sworn that tears were welling in the corner of her eyes.

"Well, we have two reasons to celebrate, don't we, Sanada?" Yukimura turned to the ever stiff vice captain. But somehow, Sanada's expression softened. Three years had passed since their defeat against the Seigaku and Sanada became stricter than before. But the team got used to it.

"It's been a while, Asusagawa." And the dreaded moment came. Avery slowly turned to the owner of the voice. She gave a smile to him. "I was surprised when I heard that you went to Rikkai." The four eyed said.

"Oshitari-san, how have you been?" Avery asked, grinning at him. "I'm surprised you still wear those glasses despite the fact that you don't need them." She commented in response to his. "So, I believe that you're the captain now."

Oshitari shook his head with a smile on his face. Avery blinked. "He's right! You don't care about your surroundings, not even a single bit." He muttered as she eagerly waited for an answer. "Atobe returned last year."

Avery's eyes widened. "He returned?" Oshitari nodded. She put clasped her hands behind her and smiled at him. "It seemed that he is bored in England." She could feel her chest tightened and she was having hard time breathing. But she didn't show. She didn't want to look weak in front of the people. And she didn't want anyone to worry about her weak self , so she just smiled.

"Yushi, what are you doing?" From behind Oshitari, a painfully familiar voice called. Avery tried to compose herself. And as if he was really messing with her, she could see his figure coming close to them. "The results of the exam were released."

Atobe's eyes widened at the sight of _her_ in front of him. She grew, and she changed but he still sees her as the gutsy girl who always messes with him. Unlike before, she tied her hair in a low ponytail now. Sure, he knew that she would be here. The girl is always worried about her cousin ever since that operation, but he wasn't prepared in this encounter. The atmosphere became more awkward as each second passed by. A very uncomfortable silence settled in the group.

"Thank you for giving us a nice match, Atobe." Avery's eyes widened when she realized that Yukimura was just beside her, clutching on her arm and slightly giving it a squeeze. He gave a smile to her before turning to the opposing team. "We had a lot of fun." He added. This seemed to subjugate the atmosphere.

"We had fun as well, Yukimura. Ore-sama looks forward into having another match with you guys." Atobe coolly responded, giving a curt nod. "Ore-sama hopes that we'll have another match like this." He added, occasionally glancing at Avery.

Avery only blinked as she looked at the two men. She heaved a sigh knowing too well that men will always be men.

"Well then, until next time, Rikkai Dai." Atobe's gaze diverted to Avery. "Avery."

Avery's mouth slightly gaped open when she was finally acknowledged by Atobe. She gave him a smile and waved goodbye at him, just like what she did during their graduation. Come to think of it, that was the last time that he saw her. After the awarding ceremony, she was gone and no one knew where she had gone to. Oshitari told him that she was last seen in the gardens, telling something to the old gardener.

Avery watched the two leave. It was always like this, her watching him go away from her. Nostalgically painful.

"Ave-senpai seemed to be acting weird." Kirihara remarked in which Marui elbowed him.

"Better drop it, Akaya." Niou advised him, much to their kohai's surprise.

Kirihara didn't know anything about the background of Avery. All he knew is that she is a good senpai. She doesn't have a lot of friends that are girls. He often sees her with Yukimura, and if not, alone. But she always had that smile whenever someone approaches her. It puzzled him really, how she could keep up smiling despite the fact that something was up.

.

.

.

Graduation finally came. Rikkai Dai regulars will really be missed by a lot of people. The teachers, the students, and especially the fangirls. The gymnasium wasn't enough to accommodate the whole crowd who would watch the graduation! The other people who weren't really invited for this event were asked to stay outside.

When the ceremony finally ended, the crowd outside cheered for the graduates. Kirihara was proud of his senpais. Despite the fact that his Niou senpai used to trick him, he was pretty intelligent. His Bunta senpai too, and Jackal senpai. Of course, his Yagyuu senpai is one of those sophisticated honor students. Even his Mura buchou and Sanada fuku buchou. But he was really happy that his Ave senpai got it. She was known as the best of the best when it comes to intellect in Rikkai Dai.

"Senpai! Congratulations!" Kirihara came running to them. He didn't mind the fact that their parents were with them, complimenting their kids. Then, it occurred to him, someone was missing in the group. He looked around but saw no signs of Avery. The seaweed head turned to Yukimura. "Buchou, where is Ave senpai?"

At the mention of certain senpai, everyone's expression suddenly changed. Kirihara blinked. "What's wrong? I saw her a while ago, she was really beautiful. Her hair was tied in a different way, unlike the usual ponytail." He remarked. Niou has that mischievous glint in his eyes again.

"Ave-chan left earlier." The matriarch of the Yukimura answered with a gentle smile on her face. Kirihara blinked and turned to his buchou who only smiled and nodded.

"Is there something you want to tell her, Akaya?" Marui patted Kirihara on his head with a mischievous grin showing. "Niou could pretend to be her just for you." He added, pointing Niou with his thumb.

Kirihara looked flushed. His Ave-senpai is his kindest senpai, of course aside from Mura buchou. Whatever his senpais were thinking has to stop. "I don't have anything to say to her!" He stubbornly exclaimed, showing them his fist. Marui and Niou laughed.

"Look buchou, Akaya has some feelings for his Ave-senpai. How cute!" Marui teased in which flustered Kirihara more.

Yagyuu adjusted his glasses. "Really, now? I wonder what she'd feel if she finds out about this." The gentleman joined the teasing. It was a surprise, but what he said was true.

Yanagi had that serious face on again. "There's a 99 percent probability that Yukimura doesn't approve of this." He said in which even Sanada raised a brow and turned to Yukimura.

Yukimura had that gentle smile on his face that suggested that they need to stop talking about her.

"How about some ramen, Akaya?" Marui volunteered, wrapping an arm around his kohai's shoulder. "Jackal's treat!" He exclaimed, pointing at Jackal using his free arm.

Jackal's brows furrowed. "Heh?"

Thankfully, Yukimura's teammates knew his smiles. He turned to the gates, and suddenly his smile slackened into a frown. _Avery…_

O~O~O

Avery peacefully sat inside a cake shop in Tokyo. Suddenly, she sneezed which displeased her and surprised the waitress who was about to give her the ice cream cake she just ordered. For some reason, after graduation she immediately headed home and changed her clothes and then went to Tokyo.

It was really odd for her to order a chocolate cake since she doesn't like the taste of chocolate unless it is the actual chocolate. She sliced some and took a bite. A sigh escaped her lips. _It's surprisingly good. _She thought as she played with the icing. A piece of chocolate shaped like a round waffle was stabbed at the center of the cake. She grabbed it using her hand and took a bite. _This is better. _She thought once again.

Her free arm travelled to the side of her face just to tuck the naughty strand that should be blocking her face right now, but she realized that her hair was tied in a different way, not the usual ponytail. A small smile came upon her lips. "I forgot to untie it." She muttered as she ran a hand on the braids that were wrapped on the back while the remaining strands were freely cascading.

Avery's smile turned upside down. Her grip on the fork tightened and she sniffed. She clutched on her chest, gasping for air. _It hurts._ She knew that she was near her limit. She might breakdown right there and-

"Avery?" A familiar voice made her return to reality. "Today is your graduation day, right?" That same husky, cool, and not to mention cocky voice resounded in her ear. "Why are you here?"

Avery's smile returned as she turned to the owner of the voice. "Atobe, it's a surprise. Do you want to join me?" She asked, offering the seat that was across hers.

Atobe reluctantly took the offer. He sat across her, seeing her smile once again. A smirk came upon his lips. "For a second there, I thought it was someone else." Atobe didn't know whether it was because he got used to it or he simply wanted to, but he was surprised when he addressed his self normally. "You look… different today." He remarked in which his companion chuckled.

"Yeah, I was surprised as well." Atobe raised a brow. Avery laughed upon seeing his reaction. "Say, Atobe, how come you are here? You're not the type of guy who loves sweets… well at least not someone I know." A sudden image of Bunta came in mind but she shook those thoughts aside. There is no way Atobe would turn into a sweet fanatic in just three years.

"I just came here to get some coffee." Atobe answered. Avery smiled at him in response and waited for him to order.

And true to his word, he did order a cup of cappuccino. Avery watched him took a sip from his cup and when he realized this, he raised a brow. He put the cup on the table and turned to her. "You know, Rikkai is very far from Tokyo. What brings you here?" He asked bluntly. Same old Atobe… same old bluntness

"Well, I like the way they make their cake here. It's not too sweet, nor less sweet. It suits my taste." Avery answered, resting her chin against the palm of her hand and smiled.

Atobe eyed the chocolate cake, raising a brow in the process. _Since when did she like that flavour?_ He asked, knowing too well that she doesn't like chocolates unless it is the real deal.

Hinting this, Avery pushed it slightly to the center. "Frankly, I still hate it." To emphasize her point, she wrinkled her nose. " And they say that chocolates will stimulate your happy hormone." She added, giving the innocent treat a deadly glare.

Atobe only chuckled. She never changed. _Stimulate happiness? _The sudden thought struck him like lightning. _So she wasn't here just because she missed this place._ He concluded surely. He diverted his gaze from the chocolate to her. Avery was now looking out the window, sighing. "Why do you want chocolates to help your endocrine system?" He asked, running a hand through his silky locks. "Are you depressed?"

Avery sighed once again. Her eyes travelled to Atobe, then back to the outside realm. "Maybe." She answered, her smile not even finding its way to her face. "I don't know. Lately, I've been seeing the bad side of things." She straightened up her sitting position, but not even breaking away from the realm of the outside world.

Atobe raised a brow. "And sometimes, I wish that darkness would just engulf me." Avery added as she turned to Atobe and gave him a smile. That smile again. The smile that he hated to see from her. "I'm sorry you have to hear that. I'm giving off that depressed aura again."

Avery stared at him, and he stared back. Three years had passed and somehow, she could feel the familiar feeling of uneasiness building up inside her chest. Her heart was beating irregularly, and she couldn't breathe normally.

"Avery, you took an effort in working with your hair this graduation, unlike before…" Atobe observed and Avery cursed him for that ability of his. "Why is that? Is Rikkai really that special for you?"

Avery laughed. "No, of course not. Truth be told, I don't care which school is more special, really. They are just names you know." She answered him, giving him a look that suggests how silly he is.

Atobe was still unconvinced. "Oh really?" Avery nodded in response. "Then, give me an explanation for last time and this time." He demanded.

Avery only rolled her eyes. Some things will never change. She pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. "Atobe, really, how persistent!" She remarked, chuckling. When she faced Atobe once again, Avery's smile suddenly vanished. "You see this time my parents promised me that they will come unlike last time because they find it insignificant." She returned her smile. "You see, last time they asked me if I made it, to be the batch's best among the rest, and when I answered no, they say they won't come." She took a liking in staring at the table.

"But right now, the same thing happened. They didn't show up. So there, am I excused now?" She asked, as if it wasn't a big deal, and Atobe found himself hating that smile more.

_So, that's why she left…_ It was all finally connected. Atobe realized, she came here to somehow wait for her family… she wanted to feel what it's like to be of significance to them. Because all she ever felt was a love out of condition. And part of him knew that feeling.

Atobe opened his mouth to say something but Avery was faster. "Well, then, until next time, Atobe. It was a pleasure seeing you." She rose from her seat, giving him a pat in the shoulder. "I wouldn't want Auntie and Seiichi worrying about me. It's getting dark." And just like before, she was gone again.


	17. Tragic Discovery, Happy College

**Here's another update guys. Summer classes started again. But I can still update this story.**

**Yes, this story isn't finished yet. I am still not planning to end this story yet, so please tune in for updates.**

**I hope you guys will keep on reviewing. They keep me going and happy.**

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Nothing changed since high school, really. There were still classrooms, club rooms, faculty rooms, buildings with different names, court yard, brick fences, gates, sakura petals fluttering around, arm chairs, teacher's desk, boards, markers and erasers. But the atmosphere seemed so new, so different, so foreign… so not like high school.

Avery stared at the large building in front of her, mouth hung agape, eyes shining in bewilderment. She was like a child going to an amusement park for the first time. Everything seemed so big for such a small person. She clasped her hands together, and grinned. _Tokyo University!_ She screamed inside her head.

The blue haired male could understand the excitement building up inside her companion. He knew what it felt like to contain those unexplainable happiness and mixed emotions inside. "We're finally here, Ave."

Avery nodded. "I know, Seiichi. It's really hard to believe."

Yukimura only chuckled. "Then, I think we should believe it." He remembered when they were kids. They wanted to enter such a prestigious university that Avery wished she was already in high school that time. She read all about the school, the history and all stuff about it. And before she knew it, she was reading Japan's history. He was sure that was the reason of her love for history.

Avery sniffed. "It seemed that yesterday we were only kids who were just dreaming entering this school." Yukimura could only nod in agreement.

For a moment, they just stood in front of the building, savouring the moment of stepping inside the school as official students for the first time.

"Seiichi," Avery called, already contented. Yukimura hummed in response, also satisfied with what he saw. "I think we should go find our classrooms before it's too late. We wouldn't want to be late now, right?" She turned to him, and smiled.

Yukimura nodded. "Will you be fine? Yagyuu and I agreed that we'll find our rooms together since we're taking up the same course."

Avery nodded. "Of course. See you later then."

They both parted ways after that.

Avery reached the science building. She looked at her form where her schedules were. _8:30am to 10:00am, room 321, lecture in botany. _She thought as she looked for the room number. She wasn't really the kind of person to mind her way if she's looking for the right room, so she just casually walked. She turned to the corner, not really knowing that there'd be stairs. She almost fell but she felt a tight grip on her upper arm.

A sigh escaped her savior's lips. "You're really a clumsy one, Asusagawa." A gentle voice said. "You didn't change." He added with his lips curving up in a smile.

Avery turned to the owner of the voice. A smile was given in return. "Oshitari-san!" She exclaimed, quite glad to see him once again. "Congratulations!" And her happiness subsided. She scratched the back of her head and grinned at him. "Sorry about that."

Oshitari shook his head. "Well, I can't help but save a clumsy lady." He replied and Avery only chuckled. "Say, we have the same schedule."

Avery blinked. "Really?" She said, taking a peek at Oshitari's form.

"Well, I'd be happy to be your classmate, Asusagawa." Avery only smiled at him. "How about we find our classrooms together?" Oshitari offered.

Avery nodded in agreement.

O~O~O

A month passed since the first day of school and almost all of the freshmen Avery knows wished that they were back in high school where they take their life easy. Not much of a hectic schedule, enjoying life to the fullest… and all those stuff. But high school wasn't much of a fun for her. She didn't enjoy it, really. The load was just the same.

And this was one of those times that she hated it when her botany class require her group to get a Sakura leaf to examine its cell. She only sighed in irritation. The only leaf, in the blooming tree, was in the area where she cannot afford to reach it. She glared at it for a while. A sigh escaped her lips. "Good thing lab classes starts at one o' clock." She muttered under her breath. She bent her knees down and jumped, hoping that she could reach it. A smile came on her lips when her middle finger was able to touch the tip. But gravity wanted her back to the ground and she failed to get it.

"Curses!" Avery kicked the ground, like a child having a tantrum. She groaned in irritation as she glared at the leaf.

"Avery?" A husky voice called from behind her.

Avery knew that voice all along. She turned to him and greeted him with a smile. "Atobe." She put her hands behind her and smiled at him. "I didn't know you're here."

Atobe only smirked at her. "Yeah, well, we have different courses, I suppose." He replied. "Yushi told me you're classmates." Avery nodded. "It's a surprise really. I thought you'll be taking up Business Administration, or Financial Management or anything related to business."

"Well, Biology is related to my family's line of business." Avery answered him. "We make wines, remember? That's the bulk of our business. Other than that, there are shoes and clothing lines. I believe this is related to our business." She added, putting a hand on her chin.

Atobe only chuckled. Avery returned to the matter at hand… the leaf. She tried gaining momentum and jumped again. She failed at getting the cursed leaf again.

Atobe only laughed and shook his head. "You could have asked, you know?" He said and easily plucked the leaf out of the branch, not even tiptoeing or whatsoever. He handed it to Avery who only glared at the leaf, as if it was something dangerous to hold on to. "It won't bite you, you know." He said when she accepted it from him.

"Yeah, but it made me look ridiculously desperate." The black haired girl said putting the leaf inside a bag. A grin came to her lips. "My specimens are complete." She exclaimed. "Thank you, Atobe!"

And everything seemed to be back to normal. They were in friendly good terms. Just like how they were before. Only, there is still an uncomfortable silence that would settle in between them at times. But, there was no turning back.

_Perhaps, it is best this way._ Avery thought, still trying to convince herself about the decision she made a long time ago.

She grinned at Atobe who arrived with two thick text books that could only be found in their library. It wasn't allowed to be sold, and he hated that copyright or whatever law that was. "It won't hurt if you cannot buy a book that you need, Atobe." She told him.

Atobe only glared at her. But that glare wasn't a threatening one really. Just a childish glare. "Shut it, Avery." He only told her. Avery laughed. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, I'm really sorry." Atobe raised a brow. "But you know, you should be happy. Books as rare as that are hoarded by students. There was one time when I was looking for our reference book in the library and I found none. Oshitari told me that the Botany book was lost in the accounting section. That was like five shelves away from it." Avery explained to him.

"So what did you do when you couldn't find one? Just gave up and went to the history books?" Atobe knew that she would do that.

Avery only smiled. "Nah," She answered, surprising Atobe.

"Maybe you have a more vast collection of history than our library."

"I burned those boring books already." Atobe tore his gaze away from the books and stared at Avery with bewilderment.

"You did what?" He couldn't believe it. She burning those books was like torturing her. He remembered the time that she threatened Mukahi that she'd burn every possession of his that she could get a hold of if he won't return the monograph to her. The red head was just kidding her but she seemed like a professional terrorist when she threatened him. And she was holding an alcohol lamp that time.

"I burned them." Avery shrugged as she casually answered. "It was useless really."

.

.

.

Despite the time that passed, emotions couldn't easily be forgotten. Avery knew that she still has feelings for him… she tried forgetting it, but it will just cruelly come back. And she hated it.

She knew he loved someone else. And he made a right decision.

As usual, they meeting at the canteen for a friendly lunch happened once again. Atobe sat across her.

"I think I'm getting used to a commoner's food." Atobe told her.

Avery gave him a worried smile. "I don't know how to respond to that."

Atobe only chuckled. "Just don't."

"There you guys are!" Avery saw Hei once again. She gave a smile to the brunette. As usual, she was a typical sophisticated girl. Her silky hair was tied up in a ponytail. She wore a long sleeved, v-shaped green dress that ended up to her knees. "And I was getting worried that you are indulging yourself in studying, Keigo." Then, Hei's eyes reached Avery.

Avery felt really bad and conscious for herself. Really, she can't help but compare herself with this girl whenever she's around. Just look at her, she is a beautiful lady that men dreams about and Avery, well just a typical girl that men would just like to hang out with.

A smile came upon Hei's lips. "Oh my, Avery-chan! It's been a while! You've changed!" She exclaimed, dashing towards Avery and holding her hands.

"Hei-san." Avery could only say.

"It's odd to see that you're borrowing a book, Keigo." Hei remarked in which Avery smiled. "Is this the reason why you're late for our lunch date?"

The black haired girl was caught off guard. "Lunch date?" Before she knew it, she blurted it out.

Atobe didn't show it but he mentally grimaced. "Ore-sama is sorry, Shizuru. Ore-sama didn't notice the time."

Hei giggled. "I understand. But I hope you didn't forget what today is, unlike last year."

And it struck Atobe like lightning. "Happy anniversary, Shizuru." He totally forgot it, again. But he could make it up to her, he just have to find a way on how to.

Hei's smile turned to a frown. "You forgot it, didn't you?"

Avery was gaping at what was happening in front of her. She felt that it was hard to breathe again and her heart might have skipped a beat or two. To cut it short, it hurts. And she couldn't help but feel guilty at the current situation. She might be the reason why Atobe failed to attend the lunch date or that date or whatever that was. She looked down, shame overwhelming her.

"It's okay really, Keigo." Hei said, gripping tightly at what seemed like a paper bag behind her back.

Avery eyes caught that thing. Hei was just in front of her.

"Ore-sama is-"

"So that's why you asked me about good restaurants nearby, Atobe." Avery cut Atobe off. She put her index finger on her chin and looked up, thinking. "You should have told me what for." She pretended to scold.

Hei faced Avery, her face lightening up a bit and then turned to Keigo, this time, a grin was forming. "You did?" The brunette asked.

Avery winked at Atobe who had no choice but to ride on with the current situation. Hei turned to Avery. "Then, could you suggest one, Avery-chan?" The brunette asked, emerald orbs meeting with red ones.

The black haired girl nodded, giving the brunette a sweet smile. "A new restaurant opened a few weeks ago. They serve the best wine, trust me. The food is very good as well. You'll like it there." Avery suggested remembering the newly opened restaurant that her family's corporation owns. This could gain a lot of customers, not to mention rich ones, if an Atobe would come there. And the restaurant would gain fame. "The name is Angelus." She informed.

Avery smiled as she watched Hei and Atobe conversed. Something within her stirred… envy perhaps. Their conversation was fading and she seemed like a deaf person. Even the noise of the cafeteria seemed to fade away.

"Ave-chan," Hei got a new pet name for her. Avery turned to her and returned the smile she was receiving. "How about the three of us go to lunch together?" She offered.

Avery shook her head. "I'm sorry, I promised Seiichi that we'll have lunch together." She did promise him. "Maybe next time." She made a compromise.

Hei's face brightened up. "Gladly!"

Avery turned to Atobe, giving a curt nod. "Well then," She headed for the door, taking one last glance at the two. Letting her hand settle against the cold glass, she looked aside. _Can you remember that day, Keigo? The day when you accepted my challenge?_ A small smile came to her lips and she turned to leave. She pushed open the door and headed to the garden, where Seiichi and the rest of the group were.

O~O~O

"Atobe, don't you get tired of addressing yourself as ore-sama?" The red head, taking up accountancy, whined. That ore-sama thing was getting on his nerves again.

The blue haired man beside him only chuckled. "It's hard to argue about that, Gakuto. You won't win." Oshitari said as he adjusted his glasses.

Atobe raised a brow at Mukahi. "Do you have a problem with ore-sama? Just cover your ears if you are irritated by it. Ore-sama won't change it just for you." He answered.

Gakuto gave him a glare. "So you lost to an argument with Asusagawa that's why you address yourself normally when talking to her?" He asked, just curious and meant no harm. Oshitari hit the red head's side with an elbow, giving him a stern look when he turned to the taller one for an explanation. And when the red head got the message, he immediately turned to Atobe with an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that."

Atobe only gave him a glare. "You didn't say anything offensive, Gakuto." Yes, there were nothing offensive about the red head's statement but Atobe was still affected by it and he doesn't know why. Maybe because he still doesn't accept the fact that she disappeared… just like that.

The three men settled in the garden, keeping themselves busy with the requirements they were given. The ambiance was relaxing despite the murmurs and the mixed conversations of the people present. It was nice and peaceful-

"Hey Niou, Bunta give me back my drawings!"

A familiar voice resounded in their ears. Gakuto even dropped his pen, ignoring the balance sheet that he was working on when he heard that voice and frantically looked around just to confirm if his assumptions were right.

Oshitari looked up from his newly sketched cosmos. A smile found its way to his lips when he saw her.

Atobe raised a brow as he watched the black haired girl chased a silver haired guy who was much taller than her, and a red head who was slightly taller than her. They held a bunch of papers.

"Come on guys, give it!" Avery demanded when she stopped to catch her breath. Niou stopped about ten meters away from her when he realized that she stopped.

Marui laughed at her lack of stamina despite the fact that they always did this to her when they were in high school. But they can't blame her since she inherited asthma from her mother, so he took pity and went to her. "Here you go." He said, patting Avery's head as he returned the papers he had with him.

Avery angrily grabbed it and went to Niou, glaring daggers at him as she approached him.

He let the girl come near her, but still he held the papers with his raised hand. "You can have it if you can get it." Niou teased her. Avery is tall for a girl. But this man was just taller.

Avery couldn't contain it anymore. She punched Niou's stomach and he fell on his knees. She grabbed the papers from the silver head and turned to the opposite direction. And her glare disappeared when she saw Yukimura eying the two with a smile. "Seiichi, they're at it again!" She ran towards the blue haired teen.

Sanada stood beside Yukimura with that stern expression of his. Really, these two still acts immaturely at times.

Niou and Marui approached the two. But Yukimura's smile wasn't a smile out of joy. And the two troublemakers knew they were in trouble.

Yukimura sighed. "You guys do know that Avery shouldn't be pushed beyond her limits or that would happen again." He sternly told the two.

Atobe was interested with what _that_ is. He watched them as the group slowly disappeared out of sight. Then, he looked down. His confident smirk disappeared. _Na, Avery, can you remember the day when you said that you hated that habit of mine?_

.

.

.

As usual, Atobe and Avery would still meet at the cafeteria but the girl seemed to be limiting those meetings lately. Atobe knew the reason behind that. He painfully knew it.

A year ago, when Hei confessed to him, he just impulsively said that he liked her as well. He got himself a girlfriend. His parents didn't know until Hei's parents told them. It looked like he had no interest at all. He would ask her out on a date, as a boyfriend should, and he would give her gifts, but when it comes to anniversary and all, he seemed to be forgetting it. And he felt bad for Hei. He would even be glad if it was an arrangement that both of them didn't like and-

"Atobe, are you alright?" Avery asked with her brows furrowed.

"Yes, why did you ask?" Atobe replied, glancing at her before going back to working on his presentation.

"You are pressing the keys harder than you should be." She casually answered. Atobe turned to her, raising a brow. Avery shrugged it off and returned sketching the final details of the root apical meristem. "Am I getting Hei's time with you?" She asked, gripping tightly on her pencil.

Atobe smirked. "Are you jealous, Avery?"

Avery tried to look passive about this. She chuckled. "Dream on, Atobe. I was just asking."

"And what about you? Won't you be spending time with your cousin?" He replied with a question.

"Are you kidding? I don't want to chase those two idiots again." She sighed remembering those times that she chased them until she couldn't run anymore and her body was deprived of oxygen. "Now, answer my question." She demanded which surprised Atobe.

Atobe's smirk widened. "No, of course not. She's with her friends." He returned to typing the necessary things he needed for the presentation.

Avery leaned her cheek on the palm of her left hand while the right was used for drawing and labelling those plant parts. Without moving, she looked at Atobe who was working hard as usual. _Since then, we're fairly in good terms._ The memories of the time they spent together came back to her.

Atobe paused typing for a while. His eyes looked up from the screen for a moment and only watched Avery draw whatever Bio thing she was drawing. Dark rings under her eyes were the evidence of her hard work. She's thinner than the last time they've met. Atobe's eyes narrowed. The expression in her eyes spoke more sadness. Was he the cause of them? He shook his head, keeping those thoughts out. _Since then, you are only given this kind of treatment. _

"Avery, how about we take a break. I'll treat you coffee." Atobe rose from his seat and closed his laptop.

"Sounds good." Avery nodded and tucked her things inside her portfolio.


	18. Tragic Kiss, Happy Avoidance?

**Guys, I started replying to your reviews and I hoped I didn't miss anyone. Please inform me if I did.**

**Hala~ I hope you'll keep on tuning in for my updates if you want the two of them to be back. **

**So here, chapter 18.**

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Time spent with Atobe lessened as each months passed by. He seemed to be noticing this, and he, being Atobe Keigo, an intelligent human being, knew that something was up. Preparations for the exams, she would say as an excuse. Oshitari seemed to be covering for her, as well. He doesn't see her with Yukimura too.

Atobe gritted his teeth in annoyance. He knew that she was avoiding him. He grudgingly grabbed his things and went out of the classroom. It was only then he noticed that the rain poured heavily. At this time of the day, students were in their class or going home. He wasn't the junior high school student that needed to be fetched by a driver in going to school and in going home. He easily learned the skills in driving. It was like tennis really, hand, eye, and body coordination.

"Stupid rain!" Atobe's eyes caught sight of the said girl. Her hair was tied in a half ponytail, allowing some part of it to freely flow behind her. She wore a floral button up blouse and a pair of black jeans. "Stupid schedule." She muttered again as she tapped her right foot impatiently. If luck was on her side, she'd wait for the rain to stop. "Stupid day." She groaned when she finally accepted the fact that the rain won't stop at the given hour.

Atobe stood beside her, looking up the gray sky. "What happened to your umbrella?" He asked, turning to the girl.

"I let Seiichi borrow it for a while. He also has the keys since he was the one who drove a while ago." Avery answered, glaring at the drops of rain. She hugged her book tightly, and heaved a sigh as she checked her phone. She knew it, the signs of the tables turning. It was too good to be true. Gaining a high score in her botany exam and borrowing the last reference book in the library of the said subject will eventually have a price to pay. A very high price, might I add.

Atobe sighed. He opened his own umbrella, which was thankfully stored in his locker for emergency purposes such as this and went out of the building. Avery's eyes followed him. To her surprise, Atobe stopped and turned to face her.

_Purple umbrella… matches his hair._ Avery thought as her gaze met with his.

Atobe rolled his eyes. "Come on, Avery. I don't have all day. I'll give you a ride." He raised the umbrella higher and slightly moved it to her so that she won't get wet if she ran to him.

Avery's mouth hung agape. Her gaze shifted from the umbrella being held for her and to Atobe who was waiting for an answer that don't have two letters. She was having another conflict with herself again. The offer of a ride was tempting, but it was also a bad decision to accept it. "Nah," Her lips curved up in a smile. "You better go on ahead. I'll wait for Seiichi. I promised him that I'll drive."

_That and I don't want to trouble you anymore._

Atobe rolled his eyes. He went back to the building and folded his umbrella. He snatched Avery's phone that she loosely held and speed dialled Yukimura's number. Avery opened her mouth in protest but shut it close.

"Yukimura, I'll be taking Avery home. She'll fulfil her promise some other time." Atobe hung up, not even waiting for the answer of the man from the other line. He casually threw her phone to her in which Avery had a trouble of catching it, but she caught it nonetheless. "Now, let's go." He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the building, holding the umbrella with his other hand.

"O-oi!" Avery had a hard time catching up with Atobe's pace. Tall people and their big steps. But she had no choice but to let him shade her from the harsh drop of rain or else the book she was holding will be soaked.

Atobe opened the door of the passenger seat and waited for Avery to enter. He closed it when she settled inside and headed to the driver's side.

Avery puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms on her chest. The thick book she was clutching moments ago was lying peacefully on her lap with her bag. "I can wait there, you know." She argued.

Atobe rolled his eyes as he sighed. He pressed one of the keys on his side of the car, locking all the doors. "It's fine. Getting you to your home is what I normally used to do." She unlocked the door in which Atobe pinched the bridge of his nose. He sighed again and turned to her. "You have two choices."

This caught Avery's attention for she turned to him and raised a brow, considering those choices for a moment. "One, you'll go out there, run back to the building soaking wet and your precious book unreadable, and Yukimura scolding you afterwards or two," He paused and smirked at her. "You'll stay here and let me take you home and have no casualties."

Avery locked the door and fastened her seatbelt grudgingly. _Of all times!_ She thought sitting comfortably. Atobe grabbed her things and put it at the back so she could sit comfortably. "This is too much."

"Don't worry," Atobe started the engine. "I won't ask for anything in return." They started moving backwards and out of the school they go.

O~O~O

Atobe parked in front of Avery's porch. They repainted the walls with white paint, and there were new plants that decorated the front. The rain was still pouring heavily.

"Won't Hei be suspicious about this?" It's not like she was still in that relationship with Atobe. Of course, it was a dumb question. She clenched her fists as she waited for the man's answer. Her gaze never broke away from the paved road in front of her. She just didn't want to see the look in Atobe's eyes.

He smirked at her. "Don't worry about it, she won't be." But bringing up Hei wasn't a good idea. Lately, he was forgetting about those scheduled dates and Hei was upset about that. She blamed his meeting with Avery during lunch and it was true. He seemed to forget about everything whenever he's with her. "Just let it subside. For the mean time, wait here." He offered.

Avery looked up the sky. "The rain won't stop sooner, will it?" She turned to her window and she knew that even the best umbrella inside won't be able to shield her from the rain. There it was again, the uncomfortable silence between them. She laughed a bit. "Ne, Atobe, how did you and Hei found out that you loved each other?" She put up a topic for the sake of not having that silence. She could feel her chest tightened again.

_I don't like to hear it, really. What I'd like to hear is that you'll say, "See you tomorrow" just like what you used to._

"She confessed two years ago," Atobe answered casually. But really, in those two years, it seemed that there was no blossoming romance, at least on his side. Hei was the Shizuru that he used to treat as a little sister and until now, she is. "And I returned her feelings." He felt horrible every time he would justify a reason why he lied to her when she confessed.

_I knew it. _Avery turned to Atobe. "That's nice." She answered.

"How about you? What happened after you broke up with me?" Atobe bluntly asked, leaning his back against the cushion of the seat.

"Nothing interesting really." Avery answered. "Just a dull, boring, life of a student. Studies come first before anything. I admit, it is mundane and again, boring. That's the kind of life that I had, and always will." She unfastened her seatbelt and leaned against the door, and faced Atobe. _Of course, that's just how it was. I had never experienced the things that I had when I was in Hyotei. I wanted to feel those emotions again. A mixed of irritation and happiness. Everything… and I want those times to come back. _"I wasn't really the kind to have interest in things like having a relationship anyway."

The smile showed up again. Her smile that became her mask whenever there's something up. "That smile…" Atobe cupped her cheek and leaned closer to her. Avery moved away as far as possible but the door was making it difficult for her. He leaned closer, until their foreheads were touching each other. Their lips were just centimetres away and they could feel each other's breath.

Avery's eyes widened. Her lips quivered at the turn of events. Her heart skipped a beat or two, or three. Her hands trembled.

Atobe seemed to realize what he just did. Their gazes met. Onyx met red and he returned to his seat. He looked down. "I'm sorry."

Avery could finally breathe again. "No, I should be the one saying that." The rain finally subsided. Another car parked behind Atobe's. A knock on the window startled both of them. "Seiichi…" Avery muttered, sighing in relief. She turned to Atobe. "Thanks for the ride."

Yukimura opened the door for her, holding two umbrellas. One for him and one for the black haired girl. He grabbed the thick textbook to help her with her things. Adelbert volunteered in taking Avery inside in which the blue haired man thanked him.

Atobe and Yukimura's gazes met. The Rikkai Dai's former captain had that gentle smile on his face but that has a hidden meaning behind it. He sighed. "It's not like she doesn't care." This got Atobe's attention. The king whipped his head to where Yukimura was. "It's because that she cared, that's why she didn't say or do anything." Then, Yukimura's smile returned. This time, it reached his eyes. "Thank you for taking care of her, Atobe." He closed the door and went inside.

Atobe didn't know what just happened. He pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned. _I just want to see your unfading smile… that's why I let you go, Avery._

O~O~O

Coincidentally, the garden had a small pond where students can enjoy watching the koi do their own thing. They could even feed them if they want. But, what is more enjoyable about the pond is that Biology students could get specimens there as long as they would replace it. They could get a lotus flower, a lily, pond water, et cetera.

Atobe stood by the bridge, relaxing himself. He leaned his arms on the cemented railing as he watched the different colored koi fishes swam back and forth or hide under the leaves of the lilies. The lotuses seemed to have grouped themselves far from the edge of the pond.

Those black orbs came upon a hand, desperately trying to reach out for the said violet flower. His eyes trailed further and saw a girl with black hair tied in a high ponytail. She wore a white flannel shirt and a pair of black jeans. She was crouching on the ground, reaching out for a mere flower. Atobe gasped when the girl almost fell out of balance when she thought she could get a hold of the flower. Her sleeve got wet and she cursed under her breath as she tried to get up.

Atobe started heading to her but stopped midway when a shadow covered Avery.

"Asusagawa?" A man with round glasses raised a brow as he observed the girl.

She turned to him and gave a goofy grin. "Oshitari-kun, good morning!" She greeted before she returned to her work. "Did you come here for the lotus as well? Just a little more and I can get-" As if she had some sort of disease, the plant kept on drifting away from her.

Oshitari moved right next to her and crouched down as well. He didn't even need to bend forward to get both of the lotuses that they need. And mind you, he got two flowers. He got up and dusted his pants. "Well, that completes our specimen." He reached out a hand to her.

Avery got up on her own, ignoring the hand. She dusted dirt off her pants and glanced at the pond. She looked down. "Thank you, Oshitari-kun." She only muttered, avoiding Oshitari's gaze.

The blue haired teen pulled his hand back and only smiled. He was being rejected as well. "I'll hold these two then." He told her when Avery was about to get one. That may seem as his revenge for rejecting him.

Avery could only nod and walk ahead of him. She glanced at Atobe, slightly remembering the thing that happened yesterday.

_Na, Avery, I see that up to now, you don't want relying on others. You never want to, right?_

Oshitari and Atobe exchanged glances and nodded at each other as if that was some conversation.

"Keigo-kun!" Hei came rushing towards Atobe with a grin on her face. She held a bouquet of white carnations with her other hand.

The well-known king turned to her and gasped when the brunette embraced her tightly, out of the blue. Atobe regained his composure and wrapped his arms on her waist. "Shizuru?"

"These flowers made my day! Thank you so much. I'm not angry anymore." Hei said to him, burying her face on his chest.

Atobe was taken by surprise. He pulled away from the embrace, sliding his arms up to the girl's shoulders, clutching on them. "Flowers?" His eyes trailed on the bouquet that she held. "Shizuru, ore-sama didn't put those flowers in your locker."

The smile on Hei's lips disappeared. "You didn't put them on my locker, then?" She asked, dismayed by his reaction. "This wasn't for an apology?" Hei removed Atobe's hands on her shoulders and stepped back. She gave a bitter laugh. "How can I be so stupid? Of course you wouldn't give an apology. I just assumed." Hei sniffed, stifling a sob.

Atobe's hand held on her shoulder. "Ore-sama is-"

Hei shook her head. "Come on, Keigo-kun. You're always like that. Why can't you swallow your pride, at least only for me? You did that a lot in front of Avery." She asked, bowing her head. "You're so unfair. I'm the one who always make amends. You can't even treat me as an equal the same way you're treating Avery." She heaved a heavy sigh. "Do you really return my feelings for you, or do you see me as an obligation for friendship's sake?"

Atobe was taken by surprise. Did he really return her feelings? He removed the hand on her shoulder and opened his mouth to at least answer her some comforting words… but he cannot.

_A while ago, did you accept his challenge because you wanted to save the girl, or to just vent your frustrations out?_

It was just like that time when he went to Kanegawa, after his match with Sanada. (A/N: remember chapter one or two) He really didn't save the girl from that guy, but he just wanted to let his frustrations out because of that match.

Hei wiped the tears on her eyes and ran away from Atobe. Funny thing is, they kept on running away from him.

The gray haired teen reached out his hand for her, but he pulled it back immediately. He looked away and turned back to the pond. He leaned against the railings of the bridge and stared at the faint reflection of himself in the water. As the koi fishes swam, ripples were formed.

O~O~O

Avery leaped to the low brick wall in the sidewalk. She walked in a fast pace and caught up with Marui and Niou who were walking on the ground.

Marui and Niou were having a nice conversation about some nice grip tape or something tennis related. They just finished their match an hour ago and now they were starving. There's a fast food chain near the university and Avery wanted to go back to school so she tagged along with them.

"Ne Ave, you have that golden clip, right?" Marui remembered that clip well. "Why are you wearing it now?" He asked out of curiosity.

Avery turned to him and smiled, scratching the back of her head. "I kind of lost it."

Marui blinked in surprise. "Really? How?" He asked.

"That's the point of losing something. You don't know." She answered and hopped off the wall.

"Oh I remember, how was your dinner date with your family?" Marui grinned at her.

They just reached the gate of the university. "I'll see you guys tomorrow then." She waved at them and crossed the street, completely ignoring Marui's question.

The two men watched her, making sure that she'd be able to cross the street safely. Aside from the fact that she's Yukimura's cousin, she is also their friend.

"Let's go, Niou." Marui tugged his sleeve when Avery was out of sight.

Niou's gaze didn't leave the school gates. He didn't have that mischievous glint in his eyes as well. "Her smile is painful." He muttered out of the blue.

Marui's mouth slightly opened. He turned to the direction of Niou's gaze and somehow understood.

O~O~O

Avery was studying in the library for the first time of her college life. Her hair was freely cascading and her right hand played with the pen. This wasn't just the typical borrow a book and leave… she was there, studying. It was an unusual sight, really. Her eyes drifted through the texts, absorbing them. She settled her cheek against the back of her hand while the other took down notes.

She wanted some peaceful atmosphere for once. And she could get it in the library. All things were usual aside from this really. This morning, she saw some students rushing towards their classroom because they were tardy, already, but what's the point in that really? They're already late.

And then, she saw Atobe, but he didn't see her. As if by instinct, she hid behind the row of lockers and waited until he was gone. Then, she went to class. After that, she headed to the library.

"I didn't know that you started going here to study." A husky male voice said from behind. Slowly, Avery turned to the owner of the voice. Red meets black. And she was gaping. The smirk on the man's face widened. "Ahn? Am I that stunning, Avery?"

Avery looked down. "Hush it, Atobe. You're too noisy." She hissed and returned to her work. She held the book with both her hands and tried hiding her tainted cheeks.

Atobe took the liberty to sit across her. He simply watched her as the hour passed.

Avery's eyes would travel from the book to the man then back to the book. And every time she does it, she would catch him staring at her as if he wanted her to melt in his stare. A sigh escaped her lips. Her hands let the book and they travelled to her hair. She tied it in low ponytail and rose from her seat.

"I have a class, Atobe." She informed him before she grabbed her things and left. As she exited the building, another sigh escaped her lips. She went to the library for the sake of avoiding him. But it seemed to be impossible.

* * *

**So, what do you guys think? I hope you review. Your reviews give me motivation and motivation gives you updates! Teehee**


	19. Tragic Confession, Happy Falling

**Guys, sorry for the long wait.**

**Dianne060807~ I'm sorry if that annoyed you. I hope this will make it up.**

**Hala~ I hope this will make you happy. We can't really blame Atobe for her sadness.**

* * *

A semester ended and it was as if they just started college yesterday. But of course, the semester wouldn't end without acknowledging the students who performed well in their academics. Of course, Atobe's parents came in just in time and watched as Atobe received the award on stage. Even Oshitari made it. Atobe was expecting the blue haired man to be there. He wasn't called a tensai for nothing.

As for Avery, she was part of the list of achievers for that semester but not even a sign of the said girl was seen. Yukimura attended the awarding ceremony and she, being the protective older cousin, should be there too, aside from the fact that she'd receive an award for performing well, academically. But there were no signs of her, and looking at Yukimura, he too, was baffled. The former Rikkai Dai's captain mother was taking glances at her phone.

That afternoon, Atobe's parents went off to another flight to Vietnam for a business meeting. He decided to walk Beat, a two year old golden retriever, in the park. It was a good afternoon for such walks. It wasn't too cold or too warm. There was even a little boy being accompanied by his grandfather. There were two kids who ran out of the park hurriedly, with a scared look printed in their faces.

"Hurry up!" One of them exclaimed, almost tripping. He had a neatly trimmed blonde hair and wore a collared shirt and shorts.

The other one who fell on his knees started crying. He was a bit smaller and younger. This time he had brown hair. Both of them had some resemblance. "Nii-san, it hurts!"

"I told you, get up! We need to run away from him!" The older one commanded. His knee was also bleeding but he seemed to be not minding it. Tears were welling in his eyes.

The younger one tried to get up but his knee seemed to betray him. The older one scooped the younger one and gave him a piggy back ride. And after that they ran away.

Atobe wasn't exactly sure what happened so he decided to heed no attention to it.

Everything seemed to be fine until Beat became too excited to explore the park that Atobe accidentally let go of his leash and he ran away from his master.

"Beat!" Atobe ran after him, hoping that no one would get his leash. He turned to a corner and Atobe scowled. That was not a good sign. He hastened his pace when he couldn't hear anymore barking and the sound of metal being dragged.

"Nii-san!" A familiar voice caught Atobe's ears.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you, Shin!" It was the older boy who was running a while ago. "Nee-san, don't!"

A giggle escaped a girl's lips. "No worries, this is a trained dog." And Beat barked with delight.

Atobe sighed in relief when he saw Beat's leash and that somehow he was safe. He saw a hand patted the dog's head. He turned to the corner and gasped. "Avery?"

The side of her hair was tied in a bun while a part of it was freely cascading. She wore a green sleeveless blouse with ruffles on the side with a matching pair of black slacks. "Next time, don't put yourself into troubles like those or that injury will be worse." Avery pointed at their knees that were covered with a handkerchief. Some green thing was inside and mixed with blood.

"But-" The older one protested.

"You're the older one. You should consider the safety of your brother first!" She cut him off. She sighed and smiled at them. She patted the head of the older one and ruffled his hair. He gave a glare. "Listen, big brothers are born to protect the younger ones, do you get it?" The older one gaped. Then he nodded and smiled back at her.

"Thank you, nee-san!" Both of them walked out of the park, the older one holding the younger.

"Take care!" Avery waved at them watched them go.

Atobe smirked at the sight. It was the first time that she saw that side of her. Beat gently tackled Avery, successfully gaining the attention of the said girl.

"My, aren't you like your master?" She crouched down to his level. She remembered Beat whenever she would go to Atobe's mansion and snap at him for something outrageous he did. "So self-centered. But I like you better." A bark was her reply.

"Avery, why didn't you attend a while ago?" Atobe asked, crouching beside her, gazing at his dog. Beat seemed to sense the uneasiness of both humans in front of him. He tilted his head and blinked.

"Don't you have plans with Hei today?" Avery asked, her smile slowly fading. She stopped patting Beat's head and only looked at the green grass.

"We broke up." He bluntly informed her. Avery turned to him, gasping. She withdrew her hand from Beat's head and looked at Atobe with disbelief. "Now, answer my question."

"Because, I don't want to." She answered slowly clenching her fists that was lying on her lap.

Atobe turned to her, scowling. His eyes travelled to her body, taking in her choice of clothing. She doesn't normally wear such a formal clothing, and she wouldn't tie her hair as complex as that. She planned to go there, all along. "Liar." Atobe accused.

Avery's smile completely vanished. "Stop it, Atobe." She muttered as she stood up.

Atobe raised a brow, completely challenging her. "You are such a weak, fragile little girl despite that façade, Avery." His insight worked again. He stood up, intently meeting with Avery's gaze. "You always reject the help of other people but then you become sad when everyone seemed to be running away from you."

Avery bit her lower lip and clasped her hands together behind her back. Her gaze tore away from Atobe's. "It's been a long day, isn't it?" She smiled at him. "We're both tired. Can we just talk some other time?"

Atobe's brows furrowed. He hated that smile. "You are a coward. Smiling as if nothing is wrong. It disturbs everyone, you know. You don't want to get hurt so you keep on running away. Do you think that it will change anything?" Beat cowered.

The smile that she worked so hard to show vanished. "Is that all you want to say?"

Atobe was angry. She won't even answer him. He clutched her shoulders and slightly bent to her level, so their eyes would meet. "I'm tired of running after you."

"I didn't ask you to run after me." She answered, removing Atobe's hands. "Besides, it's better this way. No one will get hurt and no one will be troubled." She heaved a sigh. "Forget it, I'm going home." She turned her back at him, chuckling. Running away from the problem is the only thing she could do. Funny, how she could memorize those complicated physiological processes but she cannot even solve the things that had been bothering her for years. But, it seemed that it was always like that.

Atobe was furious. He unhooked the leash from Beat's collar and allowed the dog to have some exercise. He grabbed Avery's elbow, firmly gripping at it. "That's it?! You will just run away again, just like what you did when you broke it off?" This time he was the one who heaved a sigh. "You know, I loved you… maybe up to now, I still." He calmly said.

Avery's eyes widened. Her mouth hung agape.

"And ever since you broke off that engagement, I tried reaching out to you. But it seemed that you were gone. And I decided to return back to at least see you again, and make things right." He let go of her hand and left.

O~O~O

Two days passed since the incident in the park. It was raining, but she didn't mind it. She used to love the rain. At present, she seemed to appreciate nothing. Even the snow that she liked. It was as if the world turned into a dull black and white. As if there was no Greek civilization that changed our lives.

A walk in the rain was nice. There were no people around to see or wonder or spread rumors, and you can savor the walk on your own. Yukimura returned to Kanagawa for the semestral break to spend time with his family. Lianne spends most of her time in the hospital, and her parents were in a business trip or they have no time.

Avery's purple umbrella was her only friend. Somehow, the pitter patter of the rain was comforting and she almost forgot how this felt. The scent of the wet cement still wasn't pleasant but she got used to it.

The girl's feet led her to the street tennis courts. The vending machine seemed to be still working well. The bleachers were empty, tennis balls were scattered around. A basket lay in a corner, and Avery's brows furrowed.

Then, when her eyes reached the man lying on his back, panting heavily, and letting the rain pour unto him, she gasped. Her lips quivered at the sight. "Atobe…" She muttered almost in a hushed whisper.

She clenched her fist and approached the man. She crouched beside him.

Atobe's eyes widened. The water stopped pouring on him. The once gray sky became a purple cloth with metals as its spine. He felt her cold hand grabbed his, and put it on his eyes. Darkness covered his vision.

"Keigo," Avery started. She rested her hand on Atobe's that was covering his eyes.

Atobe froze. "Avery, why are you-"

"I won't release until I get out, I just want to say something." She decided that now is the time to tell everything to him, and not to run away. "So don't do or say anything." She pressed harder.

Atobe wasn't sure what just happened. He nodded nonetheless. "You were right, I'm just some silly little girl who keeps on running away… but when I accepted that engagement, I've realized, that was something I didn't run away from. And I was happy that I didn't. I love you, and maybe my feelings won't change."

Atobe's brows furrowed. He wanted to see her, but it seemed that he doesn't have the strength to do so. Was she fine? Was she crying? Was she smiling? Was she tearing up?

"I've been thinking a lot, lately. If I stayed in Tokyo, will it make any changes? If I become my sister, will they love me more? Won't they see me as a disappointment? Am I meeting Keigo's expectations? Will I really break this engagement? Keigo is studying abroad, I'm sure he forgot all about me." And her body betrayed her. Avery let out a sob. She sniffed and chuckled, trying to regain that composure. It seemed that it was harder to smile as each second passed by. "It was tragic, Keigo. I felt that if I am not meeting their expectations, then, they won't love me."

Atobe tried forcing to yank his hand away from his eyes but he failed. "Don't… please don't." She pleaded. But he didn't want to. He wanted to get up and pat her shoulder… heck he wanted to embrace her or just even cup her cheeks. "I don't want you to see me like this." She breathed out.

"Hei-san likes Keigo, very much. That really bugged me. Then, you stood up on me, a lot of times. At first I thought that it was all right since you and Hei were friends ever since you two were like five or six and you have lot of catching up to do, but then… but when we will be meeting in the park you gave me a false hope. I thought that you were at least my happy ending." This time, tears were streaming down her cheeks. Avery sniffed again.

"I thought that, that something that you'll say is that you've come to accept this thing not because of our parents' agreement but-" Atobe could feel her cold hands trembling. Not because of the cold, but because of this. "But because you've come to accept it as it is. I've waited, because unlike before you called and what you might say is very important. And that gave me hope, that someone finally accepted me as me." She heaved a sigh. "That someone finally didn't see me as her shadow."

Atobe was gaping. He was being careless. How could he not see it? She waited. She waited until he called to cancel that meeting and it hurt her. "It gave me a light feeling every time that you called, because it assured me that you will come. Then, maybe you were that busy so I came to the school instead. It was painful when you believed that I am someone as despicable like what Hei said. I thought I got used to being described as that kind of person. But when you agreed, it was very painful. But still I waited because I hoped that you will change your mind."

Atobe closed his eyes, remembering those painful times. He was a hypocrite for telling her that she was just running away but he in turn did run away to London just to forget that pain. "And because of that, I thought that you hated me, so I broke it off. It was very painful."

"I've never met anyone as narcissistic, and confident, and smart, and… and as great as you. You didn't recognize me as the sister of that person… and I'm happy because of that." In normal days, Atobe would be smirking right now, but it was very hard to do so. "I still love you. I won't deny it, and I won't make any excuses. You and Hei broke up because of me. I won't join you during lunch anymore, I won't say hi or even nod just to acknowledge you. I think it will be better this way."

"Why do you keep on shunning away people?" Atobe asked.

"Because it hurts, once you get to know them, and they get to know you and your background, they would want you to meet their expectations." Avery answered. "Do me a favour and don't remove your hand on your eyes until I leave." She rose up and left Atobe.

He removed his hand on his eyes. He could still hear the rain. The umbrella shaded his head from the pouring water, and the girl was gone. She left moments ago and ran away after facing the problem. Atobe tried to move to at least ran after her… but then, his body felt numb. He could only hate himself at the moment.

O~O~O

Yukimura expected a mailman coming to his house, giving him a package from his father who was currently in Paris, having a business trip. His mother had an out of town meeting with her friends. His little sister went with their mother so he was left alone in the mansion. When he opened the door, he wasn't expecting Avery to be soaking wet and giving him a smile as she scratched the back of her neck.

"Seiichi, I'm sorry to bother you." She grinned.

Yukimura scowled. "Why are you-" It rained hard a few hours ago, but for her to travel from Tokyo to their house, what was she thinking?

"It's just that I wanted to" Her smile vanished and she sniffed. Her vision blurred. All she could see was blue. "I didn't mean to come here like this but-" Tears started trickling down her cheeks.

It was the first time that he saw her cried. She never cried in front of other people. He may not say it but he knew that she waits until everyone is gone and they can't see her. She'll cry in her room, burying her face in her pillow to muffle the sobs.

"Seiichi," Avery sobbed, using the back of her arm to cover her eyes and wipe her tears.

Yukimura gasped at the sight. The blue haired man regained his composure and gave her a comforting smile, opening his arms to her. "Welcome home, Ave."

And Avery didn't resist it. She hurled herself to him and tightly embraced him. She buried her face on his chest and she cried it all out.

O~O~O

Atobe held on a single red rose with his left hand. He half expected the girl to be in Kanegawa, and somehow, he was lucky. The staff of the Yukimura household recognized him and told him to wait by the garden. He went on instead, and did not wait by the pavilion. He was sure that he was far from the garden because the paved path ended to where he was standing. He looked up, and saw a sliding window. The curtains were stretched.

"That's Avery-sama's room." An old man holding a pot of a newly pruned bonsai tree stood beside Atobe and gazed up. "She just arrived yesterday. She used to open the window whenever the weather is pleasant like what we have today." He informed the young man beside him. "Please do wait in the pavilion, young master." He politely requested. "Young master Seiichi will attend to you shortly." He gave a curt nod and left Atobe.

Atobe didn't do anything. Instead, he stayed there and watched the window. His eyes narrowed when he saw a shadow passed by the white sheets. He gripped on the stem of the thorn less rose he held and licked his lower lip. Even he, the great Atobe Keigo, gets nervous too. "Avery…" He muttered.

O~O~O

Yukimura knocked twice on Avery's door. When she didn't respond, he heaved a sigh. He was informed that Atobe was waiting for him in the pavilion; but the said guest wasn't there when he arrived. The old gardener told him about where he left him so that gave the former captain an idea as to why Avery came home crying. "Ave, I'm coming in." But there was no respond. He opened the door and entered.

Avery seemed to be surprised when she heard the door opened and the floor creaked. She sat on the wooden chair as she rested her arms on the desk. She used to study there when she was in high school. "Seiichi, do you need something?" She asked as he closed the door.

Yukimura smiled at her and sat on her bed. "I just want to ask something." Avery blinked. "Can you tell me why you burned your collection of social sciences? You loved them dearly. I remembered how you tortured Bunta and Niou for a month when they hid your Niccolo Machiavelli."

Avery shrugged. "You can say that it is a way of escaping. I've read them anyway. Besides, I won't be able to focus on my studies if they were just there, tempting me." A small smile found its way to her lips. "But it was a waste, don't you think? I loved them so dearly that I cried when they were turned to ashes. I replaced them with science books." Their gazes met and Yukimura smiled at her honesty. "It seemed that I'm loving those books. Maybe, it's just easy to learn how to love something."

The blue haired man smiled. "And I'm assuming that you have poured your tears on them, right?" Avery reluctantly nodded. "But you know, there are things that you have to face again, even if you have poured your tears on them." Her brows furrowed as she stared at her cousin. He rose up and headed to the door. Red orbs followed him. "You have a guest outside." He informed her before he left.

Avery couldn't believe when she opened the curtains and saw Atobe below. He held on a red rose on his left hand.

O~O~O

Atobe was relieved when he saw Avery, looking at him. Her face was painted with surprise.

"Avery!" He called. She opened the window and glared at him. "I have to tell you something."

"What are you doing here?! Go home!" She ordered him.

"Do you know what this flower mean?" He asked in which she nodded. "I hope this changes everything."

Avery shook her head. "You came here just for that? Stop being so romantic and impulsive. Go home!" She pushed her luck. This was just embarrassing.

"I don't care whether you were the sister of some great person that even I can't defeat. I don't care whether you don't meet their expectations. And I don't care whether you meet mine because I am not imposing any of those expectations." Atobe felt like one of those characters that he watched in those Western film, and he had to admit, it was embarrassing but he didn't mind. "I'll still love you, and that won't change. But this will assure you of what I feel." He put the rose on the path and turned his back on her to leave.

And Avery too was stunned to even speak. She didn't even know how to react. Good thing there wasn't any signs of raining or it will be a cliché drama scene. "Atobe…" A blush crept on her face and she knew that tomatoes will envy her complexion. She sniffed. "You idiotic," She climbed the window frame. Tears were forming on the side of her eyes. "Keigo!" She called on him. "Atobe!" She called again.

Atobe turned to face her only to be surprised. He gasped when she saw her jump from the window. His instinct kicked in. He sprinted towards the calculated area where she would fall and he felt that his adrenaline kicked in. What she was thinking? Even that baffled him.

Atobe heaved a sigh when he caught her. Though, he expected it, he was still nervous when she just jumped out of nowhere. But he wasn't expecting her to be in her pajamas. "Are you crazy?!" He scolded her. "What if I wasn't able to catch you on time?" He was glaring at him.

Avery glared back at him. "Relax, it's not like I will be killed at that height. Maybe just some fracture or something." Atobe wasn't amused by it. "Besides, I know that you'd be there." He was still carrying her. "So put me down. I just wanted to get your rose." She never failed in coming up with an excuse to cover for her flaws. She laughed at him as she handed to him the single rose that she just received. "And this is my answer as well."

Atobe looked at her and then the rose. "It came from me, go get me something that came from you." He demanded.

Avery scowled. "Come on, I need to improvise. I'm in my pajamas." She whined. "How about accepting this for the mean time? I'll just give one some other time." Atobe smiled with amusement.

And everything seemed to be back to normal.

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**Single red rose- I still love you**

**Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. The wait is finally over!**

**PS~ this is not yet the ending… I still have no ideas so, yeah.**


	20. Tragic Past, Happy Hatred

The only girl among the group of tennis loving boys glared darkly at the ground as she muttered a lot of threats under her breath. Those words, however, were covered by the ball being hit back and forth by the racket of two opposing persons in the court. Plus the increasing number of crowd in the street tennis courts was sure getting in her nerves. Sure, they missed playing with each other because during the first semester, they barely had the chance to enjoy playing tennis, but still…

"Ave-senpai!" A seaweed haired younger man approached her, waving and grinning at her. The said girl looked up and blinked. "I didn't notice you there." He stopped in front of her and caught his breath.

Avery smiled and opened her mouth to say something, but shut it close when a red head suddenly popped in between them.

"You know very well, Akaya," A red head said in a matter-of-factly tone. He wrapped an arm around Kirihara's shoulder. "That Avery is a small girl." He smirked. "And she isn't the kind to stand out because she is always in the shadows."

Kirihara flinched when he sensed a very thick tension building up in the air. The air became unusually hot and he could feel his head becoming sweaty. "Marui-senpai, something is not right."

"And this girl kept on rejecting every human being on-" Marui dodged a tennis ball that was purposely hurled at him. He raised both his arms in defeat when Avery got a hold of a basket full of yellow balls. "We can talk about this Ave, how about a cheesecake for a peace offering?" He leaped to his side, freeing Kirihara from his hold, to dodge the ball that was hurled at him again. "We can talk about this Ave. I'm sorry for the times that I teased your height by putting some of your stuff on top of the lockers."

Avery let go of the ball she was holding and blinked. "I thought it was Niou." She shrugged and grabbed another ball. "You jerk!" Marui ran away from the girl who chased him. "Come back here!" She yelled as they ran in the side lines of the court. "My height is above average."

Sanada, who just finished replenishing his thirst, pinched the bridge of his nose when he felt another headache about to erupt. "Seriously, what fun would they get in teasing the girl?"

Yukimura chuckled as he watched the two. "But I'm glad that she always has their company." The blue haired former captain said. His jacket hung loosely on his shoulders as he crossed his arms on his chest. "She's always worrying about me."

Sanada whipped his head towards the chaos that was created by Marui. He grunted when Niou joined in the teasing. The silver head's smirked widened as he clamped on Avery's head, pushing the girl away from him as she tried to hurl a punch at the man. The poor girl struggled in vain.

"Seiichi!" Yukimura sighed upon hearing the cry of distress. "They're bullying me again!" She told as she freed herself from Niou's hold and then pointed a finger at the two.

Yagyuu adjusted his glasses as he waited for Yukimura's next action. A small smile formed from the gentleman's lips. Some things never change…

O~O~O

Atobe adjusted his midnight blue tie as he stayed in the shadows of the ballroom. An anniversary party was thrown by the Suzuki's, a business associate of Atobe industries. The crowd was filled with old businessmen and women, their sons and daughters, and the waiters tending to their needs. He wasn't the type to be hiding due to lack of self-esteem but he didn't like going to the said family's manor for two reasons: one, he doesn't like them, and two, their five year old daughter would cling to him until someone would get her off him.

A waiter approached him, offering him the non-alcoholic wine almost everyone was enjoying. "It's the newest creation of the Asusagawa winery, Atobe-sama." The man informed the tennis star.

Atobe raised a brow as he stared at the burgundy liquid housed by the crystal glass. He took the wine glass in his hands and carefully swirled the content. The waiter left him in the corner and offered the wine to the other guests.

Warm lips touched the tip of the glass, tasting the liquid that was carefully fermented. A taste of sweetness and right amount of bitterness tickled Atobe's palates. If he was right, it tasted like cranberry and chocolate. A smirk of delight was shown as he stared at the glass of wine.

"How was it?" A feminine voice asked from behind him. The girl stood beside him, not even bothering show formalities.

Atobe chuckled. "What do you think? This party isn't interesting at all." He replied as he whipped his head to the side where the jet black haired girl stood. His mouth hung agape at the sight. "Avery?" He muttered as his eyes fed on her appearance for the night.

"I know about that, Atobe. I meant the wine. How was it?" The said girl raised a brow. "What?" She asked, suddenly feeling conscious of her well-being. The strands that were framing her face were tied in a braid and met at the center, housing the cascading strands. She wore a light make-up on her face, just enough for his liking. The blue cocktail dress had a ribbon at her side, making her look more feminine, more elegant.

"Nothing, it's just that, it's very rare to see you like this." Atobe cleared his throat as he gazed down. It wasn't like he was shying away from her, it was just that he was taken by surprise, that's all.

Avery sighed, dropping the subject. "So, how was the wine?" She asked again, intently staring at Atobe and waiting for his answer.

Atobe glanced at the glass of wine and then met with her gaze. A smirk found its way to his lips. "It was delicious. I wouldn't expect less than from your family, Avery." He wasn't sure about the tint of pink that he saw because of the light, but he was sure that she smiled a small smile. "Arn, it seems that you also have something to boast for in your family, huh?" His smirk widened as he teased.

Avery's eyes widened upon hearing those words. She flailed her arms frantically and shook her head, still trying to hide the blush. "No, it's not what you think, I just…" She caressed her hair as she gazed down. "That wine was…" She stuttered, unsure of how she would say it.

"Ave!" A gentle male voice called the said girl with enthusiasm. He held a glass of burgundy colored wine as he approached the two. He stopped in front of them, his sapphire eyes glancing at Atobe then abruptly turning to the girl. He smiled at him, holding up the wine. "I can't believe they let it out in the market for this event. Everyone loves your creation." He informed her proudly.

Avery gave a nervous smile. "You see, about that." She fidgeted, unsure of how to give him the necessary information. She licked her lower lip and breathed in. "This is my diabolical plan." Atobe and Yukimura glanced at each other and then returned their gaze back to Avery, waiting for her to continue.

"What diabolical plan?" Atobe cocked a brow at how this wine seemed to speak of trouble despite the alluring scent and delightful taste. "Avery?"

Yukimura sighed, brows furrowing as he touched the side of his head. "This is bad." He remarked loudly. "We better come up with an excuse for this."

Avery only shrugged. "What excuse? How about just letting it as it is? I'll handle this one, Seiichi, don't worry." She gave a reassuring grin that didn't convince her cousin.

Yukimura just sighed. His brows furrowed as he clamped both hands on Avery's shoulder and gently pushed her to the opposite direction. "Excuse us, Atobe. Avery needs to show up to the other guests as well."

Avery gave Atobe a smile before leaving.

"Was that her?"

"Yes that's her. The problem child of the Asusagawa. Yukino-san said that he had a lot of headaches because of her."

"I've heard the Atobe's broke their engagement because of that girl. It came directly from the Asusagawa's."

"It's a pity the first child won't take over their business. I wouldn't want her if she's my daughter."

"Oh how disappointing! It's a waste of her talent if she didn't venture on business."

"But it's much more of a waste if the younger child will be left alone in the streets."

"I heard that the first one doesn't have a skill for business. I've had a talk with the younger one and she got talent."

"Don't be ridiculous! You're just too oblivious."

"Shhh, she might hear you."

"But it's true."

Atobe cleared his throat, his gaze fixed on the group of ladies that were whispering. He looked at the other guests who seemed to have the same eyes whenever they were looking at the girl.

O~O~O

Avery hummed as she played with the stemmed cherry she pulled out of her parfait. Atobe sat across her, eyes settled on her form. His eyes narrowed into slits as he remembered the conversation. It wasn't him who broke the engagement, that's clear for both of them. She's not just good in business, she's a natural and most of all, she's not what they think she is.

"Your coffee will not be as good as it should be if you frown like that." Avery teased, putting the scooped confectionary goodness in her mouth.

Atobe smirked as he rolled his eyes. "I'm giving you my attention, be thankful."

Avery rolled her eyes too. "I didn't ask for one. Now drink your coffee in peace." She ordered him, much to his dismay.

Atobe heaved a sigh, catching the girl's attention. She raised a brow as her smile turned into a frown. There was just something in that sigh that she couldn't point out. "What's wrong?" She asked, putting the spoon down.

Atobe's smirk vanished. He ran a hand through his locks and allowed his gaze to meet with hers.

Avery slightly tilted her head to the side in wonder.

"I've heard rumors during that night." Atobe started, not even breaking away from the eye contact.

Avery's eyes narrowed into slits. _Rumors?_ She chuckled at the thought. "You weren't the kind to believe in one."

"It's because a part of those is true." He answered.

_Those? Not only one?_ She waited for him to continue.

"Why did you ask my father to tell everyone that it was us who broke the engagement? And why do you let them still see you as a despicable child?" He pursed his lips, his brows furrowing. "You should have let them see your skills."

Avery leaned her cheek against the palm of her hand and looked out the window. A small smile came on her lips. "It's not because Lianne isn't interested in business that's why she chose another profession, it's because father saw that she can't handle the business, that's why they let her chose another profession." She was about to continue, but shut her mouth close.

Atobe's eyes widened at the answer. Considering the fact that everyone sees Asusagawa Lianne as a perfect lady, it is too hard to believe. But also, considering the fact that Avery didn't evade this subject, then, this is really worth believing.

Avery saw the curious look in Atobe's face. She only smiled in return and grabbed the spoon to eat the sweet creation.

Atobe sighed, knowing that it was the only thing that he could get from her.

"Do you have any plans for tonight?" The smirk on the king's face returned immediately. There was something in his eyes that spoke of mystery and a hidden agenda.

Avery shook her head, oblivious of Atobe's tone. "Why?" She asked.

"Then tell them that we'll go stargazing at the planetarium." Of course, the planetarium will be a nice place for the two of them. Despite the fact that there would be plenty of people, the place is still romantic and worthwhile.

It was Avery's time to smirk. "I don't know Atobe." She grabbed her phone and started typing a message to Yukimura. "Maybe Seiichi wants to tag along and-"

Atobe's smirk vanished. The confident expression in his eyes turned to a glare. "No, he doesn't want to." He cut her off, without even thinking twice.

Avery laughed. "Yeah I know. It's just that he imposed a curfew. Bring me home before ten." Atobe rolled his eyes at her made up curfew time.

O~O~O

Atobe definitely wasn't expecting a cloudy sky. The clouds were thick enough to cover the stars that they should be gazing by now. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he gritted his teeth. Avery only smiled as she watched how Atobe contained his irritation.

"Even if you groan or throw whatever tantrum, the sky won't clear up any moment." She told him as she leaned her back against the seat and looked up the cloudy sky. "So, please make sure that you drive safely."

Droplets of water suddenly clouded the windshield and Avery's suspicion this morning came true. She whipped her head to Atobe and grinned. "Stargazing, huh?"

Atobe rolled his eyes in irritation. "Please be quiet for a moment, Avery." She only giggled as she leaned her face against the palm of her hand. "Do you want to have dinner with us? Seiichi and I are the only ones in that mansion. Mom and dad are in Italy." She offered, still looking at the clouds above them. The flashes of lightning could be seen as well.

He glanced at her, and then abruptly diverted his gaze to the road. "About what you said a while ago, if your father saw your skills, then why is he still-"

"Because, it was me who made them hate me." Avery answered, cutting him off.

Atobe's eyes widened. The red light turned on, making him step on the brakes. He then took this opportunity to whip his head towards her, seeing the smile she had. "For your sister's sake you…" Atobe wasn't a stupid person. He could understand someone by that person's words and actions despite being self-obsessed.

Avery abruptly turned to the road and leaned her back against the seat. "No, it's not just for her sake. I let them hate me, because I hate them, let's start with that." She faced him, black strands following her movements, and she smiled. "But first, you might want to move. The green light is on."

Just then, Atobe realised the cars behind him were honking their horns.

The heavy traffic was due to two things: one was the rush hour and two, it was heavily raining. Avery sent a message to Yukimura who might be worrying since there were no stars tonight.

As for Atobe, he waited for her to explain the statement she just said. The traffic won't move any sooner.

Avery heaved a sigh. "This is nice, isn't it?"

Atobe's brows furrowed. She only chuckled. "The rain I mean. Traffic is part of the scene if it rains, and this is why people would hate rain. But in other places they love the rain because it's their life. However, if it weren't for that reason, they might have hated the rain as well. And this is how they are to us."

A sudden thought struck him. There was something hidden in her words whenever she would give random comments. Something that would lead to her true feelings… but it was vague for them because they don't understand.

"I wanted to believe that they are doing what is best for us. The future they prepare is beneficial and not for their reputation alone. But then when they started giving Lianne a treatment that she never had before and they started giving me attention that I wanted, I realised something." Avery said, chuckling. Her hands lying on her lap turned into fists, trembling with the tone she used to hide her emotions. "Their love is conditional, despite the fact that I wanted to believe that I was wrong."

Atobe remained silent as she told him all about it. "Since then, whenever they'll scold Lianne for every single thing she'd done, I hated them. And when I spoke out for her, I saw something weird in them, but they shrugged it off, because I was their favorite that time. And I hated them for that. So I did things that they will disapprove of and they hated me in return." She sighed at the memory. "So they threw me in Kanagawa where Seiichi is."

And Atobe wanted to know her more.


End file.
